Muslim Mia: The artisan behind Bangladesh's currency design

Bangladesh has once again introduced a new series of paper currency, featuring designs that many believe are unlike any seen before. The man behind the artistic transformation of the country’s banknotes is the reclusive craftsman Muslim Mia—the principal designer of all existing Bangladeshi currency notes and a member of the committee for the design of the new notes as well.

Muslim Mia retired in 2020 as General Manager (Production & Control, Design & Engraving) of the state-run Security Printing Corporation (SPCBL), commonly referred to as the “Taksal.” Since then, this quiet artisan has been spending his time in solitude at his private studio. Though his skilled hands have left their mark on banknotes worth hundreds of billions of taka, he has always stayed away from the spotlight.

Born in the village of Dhuldiya in Katiadi, Kishoreganj, Muslim Mia had a deep passion for drawing from a young age. Walls of his home and neighboring buildings served as his early canvases. He would sketch using charcoal, brick dust, and even leaves. After passing his SSC exams, he enrolled in the Graphic Art College in Mohammadpur (now part of the Faculty of Fine Arts at the University of Dhaka), with the help of his elder brother. His academic journey there began in 1978.

He completed his undergraduate studies in printmaking in 1984. Though he initially took a job in an advertising agency after graduating, he felt unfulfilled. Later, he applied for an engraver position at Bangladesh Bank. During his interview, he impressed the panel by sketching a portrait of one of the interviewers, who turned out to be the chief engineer of the Taksal. Muslim Mia was appointed as an apprentice engraver in 1985.

In 1987, he was sent to Switzerland for specialized training in banknote and coin engraving. There, a Swiss trainer and an engraver from the Italian central bank were so impressed by his work that they told him, “You will go far.” Upon returning to Bangladesh, Muslim Mia began working on actual currency designs.

Over the years, his designs have featured the National Martyrs' Memorial, the High Court Building, the National Parliament House, the historic Bagha Mosque in Rajshahi, and the Shaheed Minar. In 1996, three of his designs were approved and released: a blue 10-taka note featuring a portrait of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, a 50-taka note depicting the Parliament building, and a 500-taka note showcasing the Martyrs’ Memorial. He even traveled to Switzerland to oversee the printing process of these notes.

Later, he designed the 100-taka and 500-taka notes, as well as Bangladesh’s first-ever 1,000-taka note, which also featured the Shaheed Minar. He also pioneered the process of creating polymer-based 10-taka notes using his own computer at home—an initiative that reportedly saved the government millions of taka.

Fulfilling a long-cherished goal, the renowned painting “Moi Deoa” (Building a Bamboo Scaffold) by Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin was finally featured on the 50-taka note—a design that Muslim Mia also created. He was involved in every stage of the process, including color separation. In 2011, he designed a total of nine new banknotes ranging from 2 to 1,000 taka, released all at once.

Despite being the visionary behind the nation's currency art, Muslim Mia remains a name few know, but whose work is seen and held by millions every day.