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Published : 15 Jul 2026, 01:10 PM
Exiled Bangladeshi author and human rights activist Taslima Nasreen is set to return to Kolkata for the first time in nearly two decades to attend a public programme against religious fundamentalism, a visit that has already triggered political debate in West Bengal.
Nasreen, 63, is scheduled to participate in an event at Rabindra Sadan on Aug 1 after receiving a joint invitation from three organisations.
According to the organisers, she will attend a civic reception, recite poetry and join a discussion on religious extremism, NDTV reports.
The visit will mark her first trip to Kolkata since 2007, when she left the city following violent protests over allegations that her writings were blasphemous, the news outlet wrote.
The then Left Front government banned her autobiographical work Dwikhandito (Divided), and she subsequently relocated from Kolkata. She now lives in New Delhi on a long-term residence permit.
Nasreen, whose 1993 novel Lajja depicts violence and discrimination against a Hindu family in Bangladesh following the demolition of the Babri Mosque in India, has long been a polarising figure.
The book remains banned in Bangladesh, where she previously faced legal action over allegations of offending religious sentiments.
Organisers said West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, state Finance Minister Swapan Dasgupta and noted author Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay are expected to attend the programme.
The announcement prompted sharply contrasting reactions from political parties.
State Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Samik Bhattacharya welcomed the visit, saying Nasreen's voice should not have been suppressed.
"I had told the state government to bring Taslima Nasreen to Bengal. Why should the voice of Taslima Nasreen be suppressed?" Bhattacharya said, adding that the previous Left Front government had banned Lajja despite its portrayal of the plight of Hindus in Bangladesh.
Trinamool Congress legislator Akhruzzaman criticised the decision, alleging that Nasreen had repeatedly made remarks against Muslims and Islamic Sharia law.
"If someone speaks against Muslims, the double-engine government will respect her," he said.
State minister Agnimitra Paul welcomed Nasreen's return, saying previous governments had failed to provide her security and describing her visit as "a matter of pride and joy."
Indian Secular Front (ISF) legislator Naushad Siddiqui accused the BJP government of using the event to divert attention from governance issues.
"The BJP came to power promising the Annapurna Scheme, cheaper electricity and women's safety. They have failed on all these fronts," Siddiqui said. "Now they are bringing Taslima Nasreen to say something provocative about Muslims before she leaves."
Nasreen lived in Kolkata from 2004 to 2007 after leaving Bangladesh. She has remained unable to return to her home country because of threats from Islamist groups and legal cases stemming from her writings and public comments.
