By T N Ashok
Exiled Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasrin, who ignited a controversy in her country with her explosive writings against religious fundamentalism, authoritianism and curbs on freedom of expression, now plans to return to Kolkata, which she calls a home nearest to her heart, after living in European cities and Delhi for two decades since her exile. Her book Lajja was turned into a Bollywood movie with top actors.
Taslima Nasrin was forced to leave Kolkata amid violent protests and an escalating political controversy. Her return is to attend a literary fest on August 1 at Rabindra Sadan. It marks the end of a nearly 20-year absence from West Bengal and revives a debate that has long straddled literature, politics, religious fundamentalism and freedom of expression. She lived in Sweden for sometime and she was granted citizenship which she enjoys and holds until date.
The event, organised by Secular Mission and the Human Rights and Bangladesh Freedom Fighters Foundation (HRBFF), comes after a dramatic political shift in West Bengal, where the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) now heads the state government. Organisers have said the invitation honours Nasrin’s unwavering opposition to religious fundamentalism and her lifelong advocacy of free speech. BJP Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari is also expected to attend the programme.
For many observers, Nasrin’s return is more than a literary event. It symbolises the reopening of one of Bengal’s most contentious cultural episodes—a chapter that began with the banning of her work, her forced departure from Kolkata in 2007, and years of political reluctance to facilitate her return.
Born on August 25, 1962, in Mymensingh, then East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), Taslima Nasrin trained as a physician before turning to journalism and literature. She emerged in the late 1980s as one of Bangladesh’s most outspoken feminist voices, writing extensively on women’s rights, secularism, religious extremism and gender discrimination.
Her essays, newspaper columns and novels questioned patriarchal traditions and criticised the use of religion to justify discrimination against women. These writings earned her widespread readership but also provoked fierce opposition from conservative Islamic organisations.
The controversy surrounding her writings reached its peak with the publication of her novel Lajja (Shame) in 1993. Based on the communal violence that followed the demolition of the Babri Masjid in India in December 1992, the novel depicted the persecution of a Hindu family in Bangladesh amid rising religious tensions.
Although presented as a work of fiction, Lajja was viewed by many Islamist groups in Bangladesh as an attack on Islam. The government banned the book within months of its publication, even as it gained international recognition and was translated into several languages
The backlash against Nasrin intensified rapidly. Religious organisations demanded her execution, accusing her of blasphemy. Multiple criminal cases were filed against her under laws relating to hurting religious sentiments, and hardline groups announced cash rewards for her death.
At the time, Bangladesh was governed by Prime Minister Khaleda Zia of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), who led the government between 1991 and 1996. Rather than ensuring her safety, the authorities initiated legal proceedings against her after allegations that remarks attributed to her had insulted Islam.
Facing mounting threats to her life, Nasrin went into hiding before leaving Bangladesh in August 1994. Since then, she has never been permitted to return permanently to her homeland. Over the following years, she lived in several European countries, including Sweden, Germany and France. Sweden eventually granted her citizenship, which she continues to hold.
Despite receiving protection in Europe, Nasrin consistently expressed a desire to live in India, particularly in Kolkata. Her reasons were deeply personal and cultural rather than political.
As a Bengali-language writer, she regarded Kolkata as the intellectual and cultural capital of Bengali literature. The shared language, literary traditions and emotional connection with the city made it a natural choice for her exile.
“I write in Bangla and my readers are in Bengal,” she has often remarked in interviews, explaining why she preferred India over Europe despite holding Swedish citizenship. Her wish materialised in 2004, when she was granted permission to stay in India on a renewable residence permit issued by the Union government. CPI-M Leader Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee who succeeded Jyoti Basu as chief minister of West Bengal.
Between 2004 and 2007, Nasrin lived quietly in Kolkata, continuing her literary work while participating in cultural programmes. However, the relative calm ended with renewed controversy surrounding her autobiographical work Dwikhandito (Split in Two), one volume in her multi-part memoir series. The book contained candid descriptions of her personal relationships and sharp criticism of religious orthodoxy and sections of Bengali society.
The CPI(M)-led Left Front government under Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee banned the Bengali edition of Dwikhandito in West Bengal, citing concerns over public order. Although the Calcutta High Court later struck down the ban, protests by Islamist organisations continued.
In November 2007, violent demonstrations erupted in Kolkata demanding her expulsion. Parts of the city witnessed serious law-and-order disturbances, forcing authorities to deploy the Army to restore normalcy.
TMC Chief Minister Ms Mamata Banerjee upheld Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee’s decision not to allow Nasrin to return to Bengal. Soon afterwards, Nasrin was moved out of Kolkata under heavy security. She was first shifted to Jaipur and later to New Delhi, where she remained under virtual house arrest for several months before leaving India temporarily.
The succeeding Trinamool Congress government under Mamata Banerjee also did not facilitate her return to Kolkata, citing security concerns. Literary events involving her were cancelled, and her visits to West Bengal remained politically sensitive for years. Although unable to return to Kolkata, Nasrin has spent much of the past two decades in India under periodically renewed residence permits issued by the Union government.
Home Minister Amit Shah renewed and permitted here continued residency in India. Her legal status occasionally became uncertain. In 2024, she publicly expressed concern after her residence permit expired and renewal was delayed. She also voiced anxiety over political developments in Bangladesh following the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government. The permit was subsequently renewed after intervention by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, allowing her to continue residing in India.
Today, she remains one of the world’s best-known exiled writers and continues to write on secularism, women’s rights, freedom of expression and religious extremism.
Organisers of the August 1 event argue that the political atmosphere in West Bengal has fundamentally changed. They contend that previous governments—first the Left Front and later the Trinamool Congress—failed to uphold freedom of expression in the face of pressure from religious fundamentalists.
They insist Nasrin’s invitation is intended to recognise her decades-long campaign against extremism and to reaffirm the principles of secularism and free speech. Her return is expected to reignite debate over whether democratic governments should restrict literary expression in the name of maintaining public order or defend writers facing threats from violent groups.
For Nasrin herself, however, the visit represents something more personal—a return to a city she has repeatedly called home but from which she was effectively driven out
For supporters, Taslima Nasrin’s return is a celebration of literary freedom. For critics, she remains a deeply polarising figure. But few would dispute that her life has become one of South Asia’s defining stories of exile, censorship and the enduring struggle between free expression and religious orthodoxy. (IPA Service)
