Taslima Nasreen Returns to Kolkata After 19 Years of Exile

Nasreen emphasized that a healthy democracy cannot exist without the bedrock of free expression. Speaking to ANI, she argued that no creative individual should face forced exile simply for holding dissenting opinions. Her long absence from the city was primarily due to persistent security concerns and a previous lack of support from government authorities, barriers she claims have now been addressed.

The visit was made possible through the efforts of the Secular Mission Trust and its head, Osman Gani Mallik, who took the initiative to coordinate the necessary security arrangements. Nasreen expressed a clear hope that this trip serves as a precursor to more frequent visits, specifically citing a desire to participate in the city's literary festivals and book fairs. By returning to the place she once called home, she seeks to draw attention to the plight of other artists and writers who remain silenced by the fear of persecution.