Exiled Author Taslima Nasrin Returns to Kolkata After 19 Years

Exiled Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasrin has returned to Kolkata for the first time in nearly 19 years. Nasrin previously left the city in November 2007 following violent protests over her memoir Dwikhandito, which led the then Left Front government to move her out of the city. Nasrin, who fled Bangladesh in 1994 due to death threats over her novel Lajja, described her return as an emotional homecoming to a city she considers her own. During her visit, Nasrin made several controversial statements to reporters. She argued that madrasas should not exist, alleging that some produce jihadists and are sites of child abuse. She also advocated for the implementation of a Uniform Civil Code in India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan, stating that equal laws are essential to counter discrimination against women. Nasrin further emphasized the importance of freedom of expression, recalling an incident where poet Joy Goswami was prevented from speaking at one of her events. The return of the writer has been viewed through different political lenses. Center leaning coverage describes the event as a paradox where a victim of religious majoritarianism finds refuge in a country also experiencing majoritarian rule, while noting that the BJP may use the visit to portray itself as a protector against Islamic fundamentalism. Center right leaning coverage focuses on Nasrin's specific criticisms of religious schools and her description of the visit as a homecoming, while noting that BJP leadership had previously urged the government to facilitate her return.