The paper on the left is a Duplication paper and the center and right images are Court Fee papers.
Stamp Papers (Stamped Paper, Court Fee) are common throughout India and Pakistan and were used in the new country of Bangladesh. The papers are often beautiful in design and once filled in with the native language, additional court stamps, etc., are very impressive to look at by people who do not understand the language, or even what the papers are. While the illustrations below only show the stamp printed on the larger sheet of paper, the stamps should only be collected as a full sheet, not cut out of the sheet. This is one of the reasons many were not saved, due to the awkward size and the difficulty in displaying them.
The papers have watermarks, different colored fibres embedded in them and later, security threads. Others are numbered under the stamp image. These were all security measures as there was a tremendous amount of forging of the papers and the creation of forged documents, as well as the revenue stamps in general.
The designs changed over time and it is difficult determining the exact date when a series was introduced.
Those with licenses to sell the papers had to buy them from the Treasury Office. When a design changed, those having licenses to sell them could return the old design papers to the Treasury Office and exchange them for the new design. It is said that some dishonest dealers kept a few of the old designs to sell for people that would make forged documents, using them. When an individual purchased a stamp paper from a licensed seller, the seller was to stamp the back of the paper (Sometimes it is on the front) with a stamp with his name, etc.. If one purchased several copies of the same stamp paper, generally only one of the group was stamped.
Most Bangladesh and Bangladeshi collectors ignored the papers and the various values of any particular series is generally not known to collectors. Hopefully, by illustrating them, people can provide additional information and illustrations.
Another reason they were ignored is that they were canceled by having holes punched in them, pen markings across the stamps, other items stapled to them (on the stamp image), stains, foxing, due to the climate, and in general, were not in good shape. Few people wanted to collect any of the revenue material as they were all on odd sizes of paper, booklets, etc..
There are three types of stamp papers: 1). Non-judicial; 2). Court Fee and; 3). Duplication of judgement or transfer of property.
Please note that the denominations listed are those those that are believed to exist. Those with an asterisk (*) in front of them have actually been seen by the editor. Many others obviously exist and will be added to the various lists as they are reported.
WATEMARKS
The majority of the stamp papers have a watermark in the center bottom portion, under the stamp. A few have an additional watermark of letters and numbers in the bottom right corner of the paper. All watermarks are viewed from the front of the paper.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS SECTION OF THE CATALOG IS BEING WORKED ON AT THIS TIME. SINCE I DO NOT OWN ALL THE ISSUED STAMP PAPERS, I AM LEARNING WHAT EXISTS AND TRYING TO GET IMAGES OF THEM. I WILL ALSO HAVE ILLUSTRATIONS OF ALL THE WATERMARKS. DIRECTLY BELOW IS THE FIRST ILLUSTRATION.
The above is evidently a new watermark that has not yet been used on any of the stamp papers that have been issued to date.
NON-JUDICIAL STAMP PAPERS
DENOMINATIONS
Tk.1
DENOMINATIONS
Dates of use seen: 7 May 1980
*Tk.1 – green and light orange #1
*Tk.1.50 – green and light orange
*Tk.2.50 – green and light orange
Tk.9 – green and light orange
*Tk.12.50 – green and light orange
Tk.15 – green and light orange #2
*Tk.25 – green and light orange.
Tk.1.50
Tk.2.50
Tk.15
Different colors of the above design
Watermark:
DENOMINATIONS
Dates of use seen
*Tk.1.50 – green and blue
*Tk.3 – green and blue.
Tk.1.50
Tk.3
Watermark I: Small double circle with Bangla text between the lines, with a shapla (water lily) in the center.
DENOMINATIONS
Dates of use seen: 22 November 1982 – 12 November 1985
*50p. – blue and tan
*75p. – blue and tan
*Tk.2 – green and tan
*Tk.3 – green and tan
*Tk.4 – green and tan
Tk.4.50 – green and tan
*Tk.7.50 – green and tan
*Tk.10 – green and tan
*Tk.50 – green and tan.
75p.
Tk.2
Tk.3
Tk.4
Tk.7.50
Tk.10
Tk.50
Unaccepted design for a Tk.10,000 stamp paper. Note that the outer edge design is somewhat similar to the stamp paper illustred below.
Watermark:
DENOMINATIONS
Dates of use seen: 12 June 1975 – 10 December 1978
*Tk.15 – red and orange
*Tk.40 – red and orange
*Tk.45 – red and orange
*Tk.50 – red and orange
*Tk.70 – red and orange
*Tk.80 – red and orange.
Tk.15
Tk.80
Tk.45
Tk.50
Tk.70
Tk.40
DENOMINATIONS
Shades of the background blue exist.
Dates of use seen: 30 November 1973 – 12 January 1974
Watermark: None
*25p. – blue and light blue
*50p. – blue and light blue
*75p. – blue and light blue
Different colors of the above design.
25p.
50p.
75p.
Different colors of the above design
DENOMINATIONS
Dates seen used: 4 May 1977
*25p. – blue and salmon
Watermark
DENOMINATIONS
Dates seen used
*Tk.150 – brown and pink.
The following design is found in various colors (Some of the same denominations) which makes it seem logical that these may have been different series of the stamp papers, even though they had the same design. Also, they exist plain with no prefix and serial number, a fraction prefix and the numbers and a number prefix and the number. The issue is complicated as there are different watermarks and a different colored slogan on some of them. While I may be aware of the image, I have no idea what the watermark is unless I see it, or am told by someone. Because of these features, I am listing them as different series. Hopefully those of you who know about these will provide the needed information and it can be sorted out.
No Serial Number nor Prefix
DENOMINATIONS
Dates of use seen: 24 February 1992
Watermark: Large double oval with Bangla text between the ovals, circle in center with shapla (water lily). Horizontal text at bottom right “CONSECXX-83/1”
With Green Slogan
*Tk.1 – green and yellow
*Tk.9 – green and yellow
Watermark: Large double oval with Bangla text between the ovals, circle in center with shapla (water lily). Horizontal text at bottom right “Xa-7” (Difficult to read)
With Brown Slogan
*Tk.500 – brown and yellow.
Fractional Prefix before Serial Number
Tk.2
DENOMINATIONS
Without Green Slogan
Watermark: Large double oval with Bangla text between the ovals, circle in center with shapla (water lily). Horizontal text at bottom “CON-y/1/85”
Dates of use seen
*Tk.2 – green and yellow
*Tk.3 – green and yellow
*Tk.50 – green and yellow
With Green Slogan
Watermark: 1.)Large double oval with Bangla text between the ovals, circle in center with shapla (water lily). Horizontal text at bottom “CON/XXIII/’85”
2.) Watermark: Watermark: Large double circle with Bangla text between the circles, circle in center with outline of Bangladesh Horizontal text at bottom “?”
Dates of use seen
*Tk.2 – green and yellow
*Tk.3 – green and yellow #1
*Tk.10 – green and yellow
*Tk.20 – green and yellow
Watermark: Large double circle with Bangla text between the ovals, circle in center with outline of Bangladesh. Horizontal text at bottom right “CP8/XXV/87”
With Brown Slogan
*Tk.100 brown and yellow.
Single Prefix before Serial Number
Without Slogan
Tk.3
Tk.10
Tk.20
Tk.2
Tk.5
Tk.10
With Slogan
Tk.40
Watermark:
DENOMINATIONS
Without Slogan
Dates if use seen
31 March 1985
*Tk.5 – green and yellow
With Green Slogan
Watermark: Large double oval with Bangla text between the ovals, circle in center with shapla (water lily). Horizontal text at bottom “CON SEC XXI-833/2”
Dates of use seen
*Tk.5 – green and yellow
Tk.10 – green and yellow
*Tl.40 – green and yellow.
Tk.3
Watermark:
DENOMINATIONS
Dates of use seen
20 May 2005
*Tk.3 – slate blue and ?
*Tk.5 – slate-blue and ?
*Tk.25 – slate-blue and.
Tk.5
Tk.25
Tk.2.50
Tk.10
Watermark:
DENOMINATIONS
Dates of use seen
Tk.2.50 – red and tan
*Tk.10 – green and tan.
Tk.2
DENOMINATIONS
Watermark: Large double ringed circle with Bangla text between them and Savar Monument in the center.
Dates of use seen: 26 August 1995 – 10 October 2004
*Tk.2 – purple and orangish-pink
*Tk.20 – green and yellow
*Tk.30 – purple and light blue
*Tk.50 – red and yellow
*Tk.100 – green and light green
*Tk.500 – red and light blue.
Tk.20
Tk.30
Tk.50
Tk.100
Tk.500
All of the errors illustrated below are from the collection of Mushfiqul Haque of Bangladesh.
A miscutting of the paper when it was being trimmed created this error.
Sheet of the Tk.50 stamp paper with the red frame missing.
Offset of red. Note that the image is reversed.
The above errors belong to Mushfiqul Haque, who shared these images on the Collector's Club of Bangladesh pages on Facebook.
Green only, missing the frame around it.
This scarce stamp paper is missing all the image. The owner, Mushfiquel Haque said it was obtained from a stack of the Tk.100 denomination and is the same sheet design as the one illustrated above it. It is missing the dark and light green coloring, but does have the serial number in black.
COURT FEE STAMP PAPERS
Tk.30
Watermark: 1.) Three small double ovals with Bangla text between the lines (one above two, forming a triangle) with a small circle in the center of each with a Shapla; 2.) Small double circle with Bangla text between the circles, with shapla (water lily) in the center.
DENOMINATIONS
Dates of use seen
18 November 1974 – 1 April 1984
*Tk.25 – blue and orangish-yellow, #1
*Tk.30 – blue and orangish-yellow, #1
*Tk.35 – blue and orangish-yellow
*Tk.40 – blue and orangish-yellow, #1
*Tk.45 – blue and orangish-yellow
*Tk.50 – blue and orangish-yellow
*Tk.60 – blue and orangish-yellow
*Tk.70 – blue and orangish-yellow
*Tk.75 – blue and orangish-yellow
*Tk.80 – blue and orangish-yellow
*Tk.100 – red and orangish-yellow
*Tk.125 – red and orangish-yellow
*Tk.150 – red and orangish-yellow
*Tk.200 – red and orangish-yellow
*Tk.250 – red and orangish-yellow #1
*Tk.300 – red and orangish-yellow
*Tk.400 – red and orangish-yellow
*Tk.500 – red and orangish-yellow.
Tk.40
Tk.45
Tk.60
Tk.70
Tk.75
Tk.100
Tk.125
Tk.200
Tk.250
Tk.300
Tk.400
Tk.25
Watermark: Large double ringed circle with Bangla text between them and outline map of Bangladesh in the center. Text in bottom right corner “CPS/XXV/87”.
DENOMINATIONS
Dates of use seen: 20 October 1991 – 12 June 2005
*Tk.25 – blue and light green
*Tk.30 – blue-green and yellow
*Tk.40 – red and yellow
*Tk.50 – blue-green and pink
*Tk.100 – green and pink
*Tk. 150 – brownish-black and light blue
*Tk.200 – brown and yellow
*Tk.300 – purple and light blue*Tk.400 – purple and light green
*Tk.500 – wine and light orange
*Tk.1000 – purple and pink
*Tk.2000 – red and light blue
*Tk.3000 – blue and green
*Tk.5000 – ollive-green and yellow.
Tk.30
Tk.40
Tk.50
Tk.100
Tk.150
Tk.200
Tk.300
Tk.400
Tk.500
Tk.1000
Tk.2000
Tk.3000
Tk.5000
This paper is missing the black numbers after the green prefix.
Watermark: Small double circle with Bangla text between the lines, with a shapla (water lily) in the center.
DENOMINATIONS
Dates of use seen: 13 July 1989
*Tk.25 – purple and yellow
*Tk.50 – dark blue and light blue
*Tk.60 – red and orange
*Tk.100 – green and yellow
*Tk.200- green and light blue
*Tk.250 – brown an light blue
*Tk.500 – blue and pinkish-purple
*Tk.1000 – magenta and light blue
*Tk.2000 – purple and light blue.
Tk.25
Tk.50
Tk.60
Tk.100
Tk.200
Tk.250
Tk.500
Tk.1000
The same paper as the above illustration, but with a black prefix and numbers in Western numerals.
Tk.2000
Watermark:
DENOMINATIONS
Dates of use seen: 22 May 2000 – 10 February 2005
*Tk.500 – purple and pinkish-purple
*Tk.2000 – purple and light blue.
Tk.500
Tk.2000
Watermark: Small double circle with Bangla text between the lines, with a shapla (water lily) in the center.
DENOMINATIONS
Dates of use seen: 23 August 1978 – 25 July 1992
*Tk.25 – purple and orangish-tan
*Tk.30 – purple and orangish-tan
*Tk.35 – purple and orangish-tan
*Tk.40 – purple and orangish-tan
*Tk.45 – purple and orangish tan
*Tk.50 – purple and orangish-tan
*Tk.75 – purple and orangish-tan
*Tk.80 – purple and orangish-tan
Tk.90
*Tk.100 – red and yellow
*Tk.200 – red and yellow
*Tk.250 – red and yellow
*Tk.300 – red and yellow
*Tk.400 – red and yellow
*Tk.500 – red and yellow
*Tk.1000 – red and yellow
*Tk.3000 – red and yellow
*Tk.5000 – red and yellow.
Tk.5
JUDGMENT, OR DUPLICATION STAMP PAPERS
This is most likely the first design for the stamp paper of the new country of Bangladesh. It appears to have been printed in India as the design is similar to Indian papers, plus the image of the map of the country is similar to the first revenue stamp of the country that was printed in India. Only the lower part of the stamp is shown as the top is missing (torn off). This is the only illustration showing a “used” paper, as I wanted the date to be seen – 1 September 1972. Also note that the value is in “paisa” rather than the later “poisha.”
DENOMINATIONS
Dates seen used: 1 September 1972
Watermark: None
25p. – dark blue
Tk.2
DENOMINATIOINS
Dates of use seen: 29 August 1990 – 28 August 1994
Watermark: Small double circle with Bangla text between the circles, with shapla (water lily) in the center.
*25p. – green and yellow
*40p. – green and yellow
Watermark: Watermark: Large double oval with Bangla text between the ovals, circle in center with shapla (water lily). Horizontal text at bottom “CPS/XXIII/’85”
*Tk.2 – green and yellow
Dates of use seen
9 May 1990 – 25 November 1995
*Tk.2 – brown and yellow.
40P
Tk.2
1977
Watermark: Small double circle with Bangla text between the circles, with shapla (water lily) in the center.
DENOMINATIONS
Dates of use seen: 29 September 1978 – 9 May 1990
*25p. – red and yellow
*40p. – red and yellow
Tk.2 – red and yellow
Dates of use seen
*Tk.2 – blue and green.
40p
25p
Tk.2
PRINTER'S INSTRUCTIONS, ETC.
The above images are printed on clear, very thin plastic. To illustrate them they were placed on a cream colored paper when scanned. All the items illustrationed on this page came as a group together.
This sheet, after the image was printed, has instructions regarding changes, etc. The instructions state, “(1) Dotted lines marked ‘x’ to be bolder and more prominent”. “(11) WATER MARK Insertions, inner pattern, outer and inner circular lines must be sharp and clearly [**] (scratched out) visible. (Unreadable signature 31/5, unreadable signature 31/5/77 Designer”. The watermark on the paper is a small double circle with the shapla (water lily) in the center with an outer ring and leaves as the center of the stamp image at the top.
A photograph in black and white of the sheet.
Specimen Stamp Papers are difficult to find. The papers have the red SPECIMEN stamped in the center of the page in English as well as at the top on the stamp.
SPECIMENS
Specimen Stamp Papers are difficult to find. The papers have the red SPECIMEN stamped in the center of the page in English as well as at the top on the stamp.
