Bangladesh’s national flag has a red circle slightly left of center on a green field.
The current flag was adopted on 17 January 1972, after Bangladesh became independent. The green field represents the country’s greenery and vitality, while the red disk symbolizes the rising sun and the sacrifices made during the struggle for independence.
The disk is placed toward the hoist so that it appears centered when the flag is flying. This optical and practical adjustment also gives the design a sense of forward movement. An earlier 1971 version included a golden map of Bangladesh inside the red disk, but that map was removed from the state flag.
Bangladesh’s flag is commonly confused with Japan’s because both use a red disk. Japan’s disk is centered on a white field and represents the sun; Bangladesh’s disk is red on green and has revolutionary symbolism.