Director of the branch of the state insurance company, Tojiksughurta, in the Shahrinav district, Sharif Karim, has proposed to make President Emomali Rahmon’s image on the 1000-somoni banknote (if that bill existed it will become the highest-denomination banknote in the country).

Writing in Tajikistan newspaper, Sharif Karim suggested that Rahmon have his image included on the heretofore inexistent 1,000 somoni note.

"On the threshold of Tajikistan’s 25th anniversary of independence it would be a good thing for the country, since a just and wise leader is a gift from God to the nation,” Karim said.

The Tajik national currency, the somoni, is named after the father of the Tajik nation, Ismoil Somoni.  The somoni was introduced on October 30, 2000; it replaced the Tajikistani ruble, at the rate of 1 somoni = 1000 rubles.

The notes bear the portraits of known Tajik poets, thinkers, public figures and politicians.

Thus, the one-somoni not carries the image of Tajik known poet and public figure Mirzo Tursunzoda; the three-somoni note carries the image of known Tajik statesman, Hero of Tajikistan Shirinsho Shotemour; and the five-somoni note carries the image known Tajik writer and public figure Sadriddin Ayni.

The 10-somoni note bears the image Abu Ali Sino (Avicenna); the 20-somoni banknote bears the image of known thinker and poet Mir Said Ali Hamadoni; and 50-somoni note bears the image of Tajik know scientist and statesman, Hero of Tajikistan Bobojon Ghafourov.

The 100-somoni note carries the image of the father of the Tajik nation, Ismoil Somoni; the 200-somoni note carries the image of Tajik statesman, Hero of Tajikistan Nousratullo Maqsoum; and the 500-somoni note carries the image of the founder of Tajik classic literature Abu Abdullo Roudaki.

Recall that last year, Tajik veteran politician Hikmatullo Nasriddinov suggested erecting a statue in honor of Tajik President Emomali Rahmon and bestowing Rahmon with the honorific of Hero of Tajikistan, for the second time.  Nasriddinov argued that it was Rahmon that brought Tajikistan from the verge of extinction during the civil war of the 1990s.  Nasriddinov went a step further and suggested that Rahmon be put forward for the Nobel Peace Prize.