Taslima Nasreen Returns to Kolkata After Nineteen Years of Exile

Nasreen’s return follows an invitation from the Secular Mission, an organization led by Osman Gani Mallik. The author, who famously faced intense protests following the 2003 publication of her memoir Dwikhondito, spent her first moments back expressing relief. She noted that her absence from the city spanned precisely 18 years, eight months, and 10 days.

Her arrival has triggered a sharp political debate regarding the motivations behind her visit. While critics and some Left-wing leaders have alleged that her return is tied to the BJP or RSS, Nasreen dismissed these claims as hypocritical. She maintained that the West Bengal government’s involvement is limited to standard administrative security protocols, a duty she noted is expected regardless of which party holds power. She pointed to her past experiences in Kerala, where she received Z+ security under CPI(M) administrations, to contrast the current hostility from West Bengal’s opposition.

Nasreen used the occasion to revisit past grievances, specifically accusing the former Left Front government of orchestrating her initial expulsion and the subsequent Trinamool Congress administration of blocking her entry and censoring her creative work. Despite the surrounding controversy, she expressed satisfaction at being back, while Mallik credited the current state security arrangements for enabling her public return.