Taslima Nasrin
We all heard of Salman Rushdie, now here's another example. Taslima Nasrin is a Bangladeshi writer who finds herself without a nation at the moment. She fled her native country after writing a critique of Islam for India, and now it looks like she needs to leave that country as well.
Ms. Nasrin, a medical doctor turned writer, made international headlines in the 1990s after her debut novel Lajja, or Shame, was released in Bangladesh and sparked such intense Muslim antagonism that she was forced to flee her homeland.
Nasrin's writings express her thoughts on religion, feminism, and sexuality clearly--issues that are not often expressed in the open in the traditional Muslim society of Bangladesh.
Recently, in March 2007, an Indian Muslim group offered a bounty of 500,000 rupees for her beheading.
While living in West Bengal, she was physically assaulted in early August by a Muslim religious group at the launch of a translation of one of her controversial novels in the southern Indian city of Hyderabad.
A week later, in Calcutta, Muslim clerics issued a "death warrant," threatening to kill Ms. Nasrin - who is Muslim, although a critic of Islam - if she did not leave the country.
Senior FB leader Bhaktipada Ghosh said while India is a secular society, "we cannot tolerate attacks on any religion here." He wants her deported in order to protect that this so-called secularism that apparently cannot abide anyone questioning Islam.
Desperate to stay, Nasrin has offered to surrender saying that she will stop criticizing Islam in order to stay in the country.
Indian politicians are not even helping her because it would disrupt their ruling coalition.
Quite sad.
Globe & Mail - Muslim groups press India to expel author
Comments
Posted by: Nasir
Posted on: November 24, 2007 10:17 AM
It is really sad that in this universe she is feeling unsafe to stay because of freedom of speach.I know and realise that she is advocating to change the society with her own way of thinking. But can anyone tell me that is it a good idea to hart some one to establish your idea and what kind of civility is it too. She has al the right to talk, write but it shuld be with limit. Revoulution come through change with motivation not by thrat or criticism or hate. I do not personnaly support to kill or attempt to kill some one for his voice. Does not matter what it is. It come form illeteracy. Death sentence only be given to those who is realy threat to civil society and there should be taken all the measure before execution. As we can not create human by our own, so we should save life and not kill or harm them.
This is my view, about MS. Taslima. I am from her same country and grow up there. What she wrote about the situation it is not only happen in Bangladesh, I am here in Canada watching every day how women are violated, But you can not prove it. As Canadian law is very strong to protect Women from any violance still it is happneing. Because it is not upto Government it should come from citizen and with motivation and education. Devil is every where but as we are the part of civil society we should work with government to reduce violance against women and for everyone. Taslema should voice about that and should write women how can over come violance. She should not blame Religion. No matter which religion it is or what ever believe it is. Thank you