KOLKATA: Bangladesh-born author Taslima Nasrin was accorded a civic reception at Kolkata's Rabindra Sadan on Saturday evening, where she said the city had given her hope again after years of exile.
"Kolkata, the city, which made me cry now shows me to dream again. I am returning to my life that has already been lost," she said.
Addressing the programme, the exiled writer said that Kolkata had reopened its doors to her after years of injustice.
“With opening of the door for me in Kolkata proves that injustice can be done for long time but not permanently. Kolkata, what wrong I have done with you. Bangladesh had exiled me 32 years ago but a country can’t be restricted within a map only. People’s love is my country.”
She also thanked the West Bengal government for ensuring her security.
“I am grateful to the West Bengal government for giving me security,” she said.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, who attended the felicitation programme at Rabindra Sadan, assured Taslima of full security whenever she visits the state, saying everyone was free to exercise their right to free speech under the new BJP government.
Addressing the gathering while sharing the dais with the author, the Chief Minister said it was his government's responsibility to ensure her safety whenever she visited West Bengal.
“It is the responsibility of the Chief Minister of this state- Suvendu Adhikari - to provide you full security in West Bengal. With the change of guard in power, there has also been a change in the system in the state,” Suvendu said.
He said the event reflected the state's commitment to constitutional values and freedom of expression.
“With this programme held in Bengal today, it’s proved that the Constitution, democracy, freedom of speech and fundamental rights of people in the state ruled by the new government is well-protected,” he said adding, “politics of threat culture is also over here.”
He also invited the exiled writer to visit the state as often as she wished.
“Whenever you want, you can come here as many times as you want,” he said.
Making her first public appearance in the city, Taslima Nasrin returned to Kolkata on Friday after a gap of 19 years to attend a literary programme against fundamentalism.
The event at Rabindra Sadan was organised by Secular Mission, the Human Rights and Bangladesh Freedom Fighters Foundation (HRBFF), and Poschimbongyer Jonnyo (For West Bengal).
Kolkata Police strengthened security arrangements across the city ahead of Taslima's visit.
Besides Suvendu Adhikari, West Bengal Finance Minister Swapan Dasgupta, veteran BJP leader Tathagata Roy and poet Joy Goswami, one of the favourite intellectuals of former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, were present at the programme.
Taslima left Kolkata in 2007 during the CPI(M)-led Left Front government headed by former Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya after violent protests over her novel Dwikhandito led to a deterioration in the law and order situation in the city. The Army was deployed to bring the situation under control.
The Left government banned the controversial novel. The subsequent Trinamool Congress government also continued the ban. Since then, several attempts to facilitate her return were unsuccessful, with events being cancelled over security concerns.
Taslima has often described Kolkata as the city closest to her heart. However, opposition from religious fundamentalist groups and recurring security concerns kept her away from the city for almost 20 years.
Known for her outspoken views on women's rights, secularism and freedom of expression, she has drawn both international acclaim and controversy. Her criticism of conservative interpretations of Islam has triggered protests in the past and forced her into exile.
After spending several years in Europe, she eventually moved to India, where she lived in Kolkata between 2004 and 2007 before being forced to leave following violent protests by fundamentalist groups.
In September 2024, she expressed concern over her future in India after her residence permit expired in July and was not immediately renewed. At the time, she also voiced anxiety over the political turmoil in Bangladesh following the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
She claimed she was unable to get clarity from the officials concerned on the status of her application and that the online portal continued to show her request as "updating". Her residence permit was subsequently renewed following the intervention of Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
