Taslima Nasrin to return to Kolkata after 19 years for anti-fundamentalism event
Exiled Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasrin is set to return to Kolkata for an anti-fundamentalism literary event after being forced to leave the city 19 years ago. The event is being supported by the current BJP government in West Bengal, marking a significant shift in the state's political stance on freedom of expression.
Why it matters
The return of a controversial figure like Nasrin serves as a symbolic political milestone in West Bengal, reflecting changing attitudes toward secularism and religious fundamentalism.
Nearly two decades after she was forced to leave Kolkata amid violent protests over her writings, exiled Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasrin is set to return to the city next month to attend an event, in a politically symbolic moment that the BJP government in West Bengal is projecting as the reversal of what it calls a long-standing capitulation to religious fundamentalism.
Ms. Nasrin shared a post on social media that she would be in Kolkata on August 1 to participate in an anti-fundamentalism literary event at Rabindra Sadan, where she is expected to recite poetry.
The event, organised by a group of secular and anti-fundamentalist organisations, has acquired significance beyond the literary sphere, coming months after the BJP assumed office in West Bengal and amid renewed political debate over freedom of expression, secularism and the state's relationship with religious sensitivities.
Will continue fight against fundamentalism, extremism, says Taslima Nasrin
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in