Taslima Nasreen has been known to be vocal for freedom of speech in Bangladesh, which she emphasised again during her Kolkata visit.
While speaking to the media on Sunday, Nasreen criticised the workings of her country and what she felt should change. One such aspect was the madrassas of Bangladesh, which the author said should not be there, as she felt they did not serve an important purpose in society.
“Bangladesh's madrassas should not be there because many times I have seen it as a place for jihadis and the torture of young students,” Nasreen said, adding that it was not enough to just put the accused in jail, but also impart education.
“Nobody does anything by coming out of madrassas," she claimed, stating that the government should control the running of madrassas, and that there was no correlation between running a country and religion.
The Bangladeshi author said she disagreed with former Bangladesh CM Sheikh Hasina for promoting madrassas, and also spoke about the present Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) government in her country, saying that the exiled Hasina be allowed to return to Bangladesh and the Awami League be included in the democratic system.
“You cannot ban a political party. She (Sheikh Hasina) has supported madrassas but they drove her from the country. She should have contested elections and lived there. This is against democracy. The ban should be lifted and those outside the country should return and live securely. People should put pressure on Tarique Rehman to lift the ban," Hasina declared.
Nasreen also voiced out her concern about her country going towards the darkness, as she felt Jamaat-e-Islami was against women’s rights and that the government wanted to bring in its own laws.
“No woman can survive ... They are expressing their views outside the country," pointed out Nasreen, referring to her own case and other outspoken people unable to return to Bangladesh.
On whether International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) monk Chinmay Krishna Das should be released in Bangladesh after his arrest on sedition charges in 2024, Nasreen said, stating that "we all want" Das to be released.
The author also backed the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), which will be tabled in the West Bengal Assembly this month, saying that it would bring about uniformity amongst all religions and equal rights for women.
She also opined that Bangladesh needed a UCC.
With the visit to Kolkata after a 19-year gap bringing up many memories, she thanked CM Suvendu Adhikari for ensuring her security and inviting her.
With this, Nasreen looks forward to returning for the International Kolkata Book Fair, sitting at the stalls, interacting with literary enthusiasts, and creating new memories of the 'City of Joy' that opens its doors to the ousted Bangladeshi author.
