Exiled Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen has returned to Kolkata after 19 years. She said that it is like returning to her own country for her. Taslima will attend an event on August 1. West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari and writer Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay are also expected to attend.
Had to leave the city in 2007
Taslima will make her first public appearance in Kolkata since 2007. In 2003, her book ‘Dwikhandito’ was banned by the West Bengal government. She was accused of hurting the sentiments of the Muslim community. After that, due to protests in 2007, she had to leave the city which she had made her home a decade after fleeing Bangladesh.
Bengal was never divided in my heart
In a conversation with PTI, Taslima said that Kolkata is not just a place to live, but a city that makes one feel a sense of belonging. She said, ‘In my heart, Bengal was never divided by any border or barbed wires. The doors of East Bengal are closed to me, so for now, this part of Bengal is my home.’ She said that she is returning with both joy and pain.
Struggle for a Writer’s Freedom
Taslima viewed her return as linked to a writer’s struggle for freedom of expression. She said, ‘Speaking publicly in Kolkata after 19 years feels surreal. This is the return of the voice that fundamentalists tried to suppress. My presence will prove that fatwas and threats can exile a writer for some time, but cannot erase their ideas.’
Expressed Gratitude to the Government and Organizers
The author expressed gratitude to the organizers for making her journey possible and to the government for providing security. She said, ‘I appreciate CM Suvendu Adhikari’s willpower in respecting and protecting the freedom of a dissenting writer, even if he doesn’t agree with everything I say.’
Challenges Increased by Technology
Taslima said that technology has given writers new opportunities to speak, but it has also created new ways of intimidation. She said that in Bangladesh, space for secular thought and religious criticism has dangerously diminished. She added that in South Asia, religious fundamentalism has adopted new political power and methods of propaganda.
Appealed to Youth to Ask Questions
Taslima urged young readers and writers to question established ideas and defend intellectual freedom. She said, ‘My message is to question everything. Question religion, tradition, authority, and politics. Don’t make someone else’s prejudices your own perception.’ She expressed hope that this visit would not remain a one-time event and that she would be able to return to Kolkata whenever she wished.
