Exiled Bangladeshi author and activist Taslima Nasreen landed at Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata on Friday morning. Her arrival marks her first trip to the West Bengal capital in nearly two decades.
Dressed in a traditional white saree with a red border, the 63-year-old writer greeted observers and reporters with folded hands.
“I am feeling very good to be back,” Nasreen told reporters shortly after stepping off her flight. “I feel as though I am returning to my own country.”
A Forceful Exit in 2007
Nasreen last stepped foot in Kolkata in 2007. Violent street protests erupted that year over her autobiographical book, Dwikhondito (Bifurcated). Hardline religious organizations accused her work of hurting religious sentiments and demanded her immediate deportation.
The Left Front administration banned the book and deployed military troops to control the rising civil unrest. Authorities eventually escorted Nasreen out of the state, forcing her to move between New Delhi, Jaipur, and various international cities.
Decades of Perpetual Exile
Nasreen’s flight from persecution began in 1994 when radical groups issued fatwas and death threats against her in Bangladesh. Fundamentalists targeted her over her controversial 1993 novel Lajja (Shame), which depicted the persecution of minority Hindu families in Bangladesh.
The Bangladeshi government banned the novel, and Nasreen fled her home country. She spent over three decades living across Europe, North America, and India.
For many years, successive state administrations in West Bengal denied her permission to return. Nasreen currently resides in New Delhi under a long-term residence permit provided by the Indian government.
Nasreen came back to Kolkata to participate in a high-profile anti-fundamentalism event at Rabindra Sadan on Saturday, August 1. The Secular Mission Trust organized the gathering to promote free speech and oppose religious extremism.
Prominent writers, intellectuals, and political figures will join her at the venue. Nasreen plans to recite poetry and address the audience regarding freedom of expression.
“A writer’s freedom and safety should not depend on the generosity of a government or the permission of a religious group,” Nasreen said ahead of the event. “They must exist as fundamental rights.”
Her return has reignited political discussions across West Bengal, but for Nasreen, the trip remains a deeply personal homecoming to a city she has always loved.
Curated news reports, in-depth analysis, and special features by India’s Opinion editorial team.
