Taslima Nasrin: The exiled Bangladeshi author who returns to Kolkata after 19 years
Exiled Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasrin has returned to Kolkata after 19 years, marking an emotional homecoming amid a changing political landscape in West Bengal. Her visit has sparked discussions regarding freedom of expression and the state's approach to religious fundamentalism.
Why it matters
The return of a high-profile exiled writer serves as a flashpoint for debates on secularism, free speech, and political shifts in West Bengal.
Exiled Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasrin on Friday (July 31, 2026) returned to Kolkata after nearly 19 years , describing the visit as an emotional homecoming to a city she still considers her own.
Her return marks her first visit to Kolkata since November 2007, when she was forced to leave the city following violent protests over her writings. The departure ended what she had often described as the closest thing to home after her exile from Bangladesh.
“I feel as though I am returning to my own country. Bengal has never been divided in my heart by a border or a barbed-wire fence. The door to the eastern part of Bengal remains closed to me, so for now, this part of Bengal is my home,” she said.
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