The name of the slogan comes from a poem named "Pūrṇa Abhinandan" by Kazi Nazrul Islam. The middle two lines of the fifth stanza are as follows: ;In Bengalī script:
জয় বাংলা”র পূর্ণচন্দ্র, জয় জয় আদি অন্তরীণ, জয় যুগে যুগে আসা সেনাপতি, জয় প্রাণ অন্তহীন
;Transliteration
Joy Bangla'r pūrṇochondro, joy joy adi ontorīṇ joy jugē jugē asa sēnapoti, joy prāṇ ontohīn
The Bangladesh High Court on 4 December 2017 directed the government of Bangladesh to explain "why Joy Bangla would not be declared as national motto of the county". On 10 March 2020, The High Court has been declared that ‘Joy Bangla’ will be the national motto or slogan of Bangladesh. Justice FRM Nazmul Ahasan and Justice KM Kamrul Kader announced this after settling a rule on a writ petition filed two years ago. The High Court also added that this order will be done fulfill within next three months. Bangladesh constitutional office-holders and all state officials will be use on all national days and in appropriate cases, at the end of their speeches in state programmes. All of educational institution teachers and students must be use the Joy Bangla motto at the end of assemblies.
In popular culture
on 7 March 1971 Sheikh Mujibur Rahman called for independence and asked the people of Bangladesh to launch a major campaign of civil disobedience and organized armed resistance at a mass gathering of people held at the Race Course Ground in Dhaka.
The struggle now is the struggle for our emancipation; the struggle now is the struggle for our independence. Joy Bangla!..
The surrender ceremony of the Pakistani military also took place at the Race Course Ground on December 16, 1971. About 35'000 Pakistani troops surrendered, making it the largest military surrender that occurred after World War 2. Lieutenant GeneralJagjit Singh Aurora, Joint Commander of Indian and Bangladesh Forces accepted the surrender without a word, while the crowd on the race course erupted in celebrations, shouting victory slogans, "Joy Bangla". The phrase plays some important ceremonial roles. It is inscribed on the screen wall facing the front entrance of the National Parade Ground compound, Dhaka Cantonment which houses the headquarters of the Bangladesh Armed Forces. During Military Parade by Bangladesh Armed Forces at the National Parade Ground, the following ceremonial salutation is carried out: The salutation "Joy Bangla" is the official slogan of the Awami League. The phrase "Joy Bangla, Joy Bangabandhu" is used by the party members at the end of speeches and communications pertaining to or referring to patriotism towards Bangladesh and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib. The phrase has also given its name to
Joy Bangla weekly, one of the two official mouthpieces of the provisional Mujibnagar government, that led the Bangladesh's independence war.