Taslima Nasrin to Calcutta City After 20 Years.. Here’s Why

Exiled Bangladeshi author and social activist Taslima Nasrin is set to visit Calcutta after almost two decades. She will be arriving on the 1st of next month to participate in an anti-communalism event at Rabindra Sadan.

Three organizations are coordinating to host this event at Rabindra Sadan. The program includes poetry recitations and discussions, along with a civic felicitation for the author. With Taslima Nasrin arriving to attend, all eyes are now focused on this event.

Taslima Nasrin herself announced this news. Massive protests were held against her when the Left government was in power in Bengal. As a result, Taslima left Calcutta in 2007. Although she has tried to visit the city on several occasions since then, it did not materialize.

Born in Mymensingh, Bangladesh, in 1962, Taslima Nasrin trained as a physician before gaining recognition as an author, columnist, and activist. Over the years, she has become widely known for her outspoken views on women’s rights, secularism, religious fundamentalism, and minority rights.

Tensions escalated in 2007 when violent protests erupted in Kolkata over her presence and writings. Amid mounting security concerns and political pressure, Nasrin was relocated from the city. Since then, she has been living in Delhi under government protection.

Her 1993 novel ‘Lajja’ (Shame) brought her international recognition. The book depicted the experiences of a Hindu family in Bangladesh following the demolition of the Babri Masjid in India, and prominently highlighted concerns regarding the violence and discrimination faced by religious minorities.

The publication of this novel sparked widespread controversy in Bangladesh. Islamist groups organized protests against the author, and several religious organizations accused her of insulting Islam. Fatwas were issued against her, and demands for legal action surged. Subsequently, the Bangladesh government banned the book, and amid growing security concerns, Nasrin eventually left the country.