Taslima Nasreen
Forced to leave in 2007, Taslima Nasreen returns to Kolkata at last
Kolkata/IBNS: Exiled Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen, who was forced to leave Kolkata in 2007 amid violent protests, returned to the city nearly two decades later.
Nasreen arrived at the Kolkata airport on Friday afternoon.
"I feel extremely happy to be back here," the writer said in a quick reaction to a battery of reporters at the airport.
She returned to Kolkata within months after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) formed its maiden government in the state, which was ruled by the Communists for 34 years and later by Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress for another 15 years.
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Civic reception at Rabindra Sadan
The acclaimed writer is set to receive a civic reception during a literary programme at Rabindra Sadan on Saturday.
The event is scheduled to begin at 5:30 pm on August 1.
Exiled Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasrin returns to #Kolkata after nearly two decades, will join an event at Rabindra Sadan on August 1. pic.twitter.com/2nb7g1n4OX
— India Blooms (@indiablooms) July 31, 2026
Chief Minister to attend
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari is expected to attend the programme, where Nasreen will be formally felicitated.
Years Of Exile
Nasreen, known for her writings on women’s rights and criticism of religious fundamentalism, has been in exile since 1994 after facing severe backlash in Bangladesh.
Several fatwas were issued against her, forcing her to leave the country during the tenure of Khaleda Zia.
Her works, including the controversial novel Lajja (1993) and memoir Amar Meyebela (1998), were banned in Bangladesh.
Lajja drew intense criticism for depicting violence against Bengali Hindus in the aftermath of the Babri Masjid demolition.
Nasreen spent nearly a decade in exile across Sweden, Germany, France, and the United States before moving to Kolkata in 2004.
2007 Kolkata Exit
In 2007, violent protests by Islamist groups erupted in Kolkata over her presence.
SocialIssues & Advocacy
The situation escalated into a major law-and-order concern, prompting the then Left Front government led by Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee to ask her to leave the state.
She was first moved to Delhi, where she spent about three months under tight security and partial house arrest after being physically attacked. In 2008, she left India and moved to the United States.
Life Between Countries
After a few years abroad, Nasreen returned to India and has since been living here on a residence permit, though her movement—particularly to West Bengal—had remained restricted.
(Photos: Avishek Mitra/IBNS)
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