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Taslima Nasrin
Taslima Nasrin
Born	25 August 1962 Mymensingh, Bangladesh
Occupation	Author, Poet
Nationality	Bangladeshi
Website	Official website

Taslima Nasrin (Bengali: তসলিমা নাসরিন), also spelled Taslima Nasreen and popularly referred to as 'Taslima', her first name rather than 'Nasreen' (born 25 August 1962 in Mymensingh, Bangladesh) is a Bengali Bangladeshi author, feminist human rights activist and secular humanist. Nasrin has achieved global fame, but has also faced death threats from Islamic fundamentalists, forcing her exile to India.

Contents 1 Early career 2 Criticisms, censorship and attacks 3 Books by Taslima Nasrin 3.1 Poetry 3.2 Essay collections 3.3 Novels 3.4 Autobiography 4 Awards 5 See also 6 References 7 External links

She worked as a government physician until 1994. From a modest literary profile in the early 1990s, she achieved a meteoric rise to global fame by the end of the twentieth century. She was awarded the UNESCO-Madanjeet Singh Prize^[1] and the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought in 1994 and an Humanist Award (by the International Humanist and Ethical Union) in 1996.

Since 1993, Taslima has faced several death threats from Islamic fundamentalists for her criticism of Islam. In March 2007, an Indian Islamist group offered a bounty of 500,000 rupees for her beheading.^[2]. While attending a literary function in Hyderabad, India she was attacked by a group of Islamic activists. In September 2007, a movement was initiated in West Bengal demanding the expulsion of Taslima from India. The government of India is considering her appeal for Indian citizenship.^[3]

In 1993, outraged by a series of newspaper columns in which she was critical of the treatment of women under Islam, including her writing about the execution in 1993 of a twenty-one-year-old woman at the behest of a local mullah. Declaring the young woman's second marriage a violation of Islamic law, the mullah gathered the villagers together. First burying her waist deep in a pit, they stoned her with more than one hundred stones. Islamic fundamentalists issued a fatwa and offered a reward for Taslima's death.^[4]

Later, the government banned her novella Lajja, (a Bangla word meaning shame), which drew attention to the state-sponsored persecution and dwindling numbers of the Hindu minority in Bangladesh. This brought more calls for her death, and her passport was confiscated by the government.

In 1994, organized groups (albeit of little social clout, and identified with Islamic fundamentalists) demanded her execution after she was quoted in The Statesman stating that "…the Koran should be revised thoroughly." a statement which she denies ever making.^[5] While the then Awami League government did not take any action against those who had issued threats, a case was filed in the court of law against Taslima, charging her with blasphemy. Consequently, an arrest warrant was issued and Taslima went into hiding to avoid arrest. After two months she surrendered to a higher court, sought bail, left the country and went into exile after bail was granted.

In the same year, Nasrin received the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought from the European Parliament, and other awards. Taslima is an Honorary Associate of the National Secular Society. Her work has so far been translated into thirty different languages.^[6]

Taslima's first four autobiographical volumes have been banned in Bangladesh. Police were told to confiscate all copies of Wild Wind. The Home Ministry in Bangladesh claimed that they "contain anti-Islamic sentiments and statements that could destroy the religious harmony of Bangladesh." Nasreen told the BBC Bengali service there was no freedom of expression in the country. "It is a democratic country but there is no real democracy in Bangladesh". Wild Wind is the sequel to My Girlhood, published in 1999, which was also banned in Bangladesh for blasphemy.^[7]

In November 2003, the West Bengal government in India banned the sale, distribution and collection of Taslima's Dwikhandito, the 3rd part of her autobiography.^{[citation needed]} The ban was lifted by the High Court in September 2004.^{[citation needed]}

In 2004, Syed Noorur Rehaman Barkati, the Islamic head priest of Kolkata's Tipu Sultan Mosque, admitted offering money to anyone who "blackened" Taslima's face. He also accused her of being a "Jewish spy."^[8][2]

In 2005, her attempt to read an anti-war poem entitled "America" to a large right-wing Bengali crowd attending the North American Bengali Conference at Madison Square Garden resulted in her being booed off the stage.^[9]

As of 2007, Taslima has been living in exile for more than 13 years. Though she is still a citizen of Bangladesh, all the successive governments there have deliberately not taken any step to help her return to the country. She is currently living in an undisclosed location near New Delhi in India^[10] on the basis of a periodic visa given by the Indian government. She has requested the Indian government to grant her Indian citizenship.^[11]

In March 2007, the "All India Ittehad Millat Council" of Bareilly U.P offered 500,000 rupees for her beheading. The group's president, Tauqir Raza Khan, said the only way the bounty would be lifted was if Nasreen "apologises, burns her books and leaves."^[2]

On August 9, 2007, Taslima was attacked at the Hyderabad Press Club in the state of Andhra Pradesh.^[12] She was there for the launch of her book Shodh in the Telugu language. Three MLAs of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen party were among those who physically attacked her (with bouquets, flower pots and chairs) for humiliating Islam.^[12][13] Akbaruddin Owaisi, also an MLA and MIM floor leader in the Assembly, justified the attacks by saying, "We are not bothered about our MLA status. We are Muslims first. And it's our responsibility to test those who have said anything against Islam in whichever way possible."^[14] Taslima, who backed into a corner, said the attack was barbaric but pledged she would not be cowed by the bigots, who were merely a minority.^[13]

Until November 22, 2007, Taslima lived in the city of Kolkata, India, but was forced to leave the city in a rush, following security concerns raised by a violent agitation by several Muslim groups in the city that were demanding a stay on further extension of her Indian visa. Possibly urged on by the Bengal government, she flew to Rajasthan where she stayed in a hotel in Jaipur for one night. Due to threats by Islamic groups in Rajasthan, she was moved to New Delhi^[15] from where she was allegedly moved again to an undisclosed location.

On November 30, 2007 Taslima agreed to remove two pages from her book Dwikhondito (Split into two). The book has been criticized by Muslims as anti-Islamic. Taslima made a statement saying: It had not been her intention to "hurt anybody's religious sentiments"[ ]"Now that some people in India have said they are upset with what I have said, I have decided to drop the controversial portions of the book and have told the publisher to take necessary action,"[ ]"After these portions are removed, I think there will be no more scope for controversy and all the tension so far caused should die down." Leading writers were said to have welcomed the move.^[16]

• The Game in Reverse: Poems and Essays by Taslima Nasrin 1995
• Shikore Bipul Khudha (Hunger in the Roots), 1986
• Nirbashito Bahire Ontore (Banished Without and Within ), 1989
• Amar Kichu Jay Ashe Ne (I Couldn’t Care Less), 1990
• Atole Ontorin (Captive In the Abyss), 1991
• Balikar Gollachut (Game of the Girls), 1992
• Behula Eka Bhashiyechilo Bhela (Behula Floated the Raft Alone), 1993
• Ay Kosto Jhepe, Jibon Debo Mepe (Pain Come Roaring Down, I’ll Measure Out My Life for You), 1994
• Nirbashito Narir Kobita (Poems From Exile), 1996
• Jolopodyo (Waterlilies), 2000
• Khali Khali Lage (Feeling Empty), 2004
• Kicchukhan Thako (Stay For A While), 2005

• Nirbachito column (Selected Columns)
• Jabo na Keno jabo (I will not go; why should I?)
• Noshto meyer noshto goddo (Corrupt prose of a corrupt girl)
• ChoTo choTo dukkho kotha (Tale of trivial sorrows)

• Oporpokkho (The Opponent) 1992
• Shodh (Revenge), 1992 (ISBN 978-8188575053)
• Nimontron (Invitation) 1993
• Phera (Return) 1993
• Bhromor Koio Gia (Tell Him The Secret) 1994
• Forashi Premik (French Lover) 2002
• Lajja (Shame), (ISBN 978-0140240511)

• Amar Meyebela (My Girlhood), 1999
• Utal Hawa (Wild Wind), 2002
• Ka (Speak Up), 2003
• Dwikhondito (Split-up in Two), 2003
• Sei Sob Andhokar (All those darkness), 2004
• Meyebela, My Bengali Girlhood - A Memoir of Growing Up Female in a Muslim World, 2002 (ISBN 1-58642-051-8)
• Ami Bhalo Nei, Tumi Bhalo Theko Priyo Desh (I am not okay, but you stay well my beloved homeland), 2006.

• Ananda Award, India, 1992
• Natyasava Award, Bangladesh, 1992
• Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thoughts from the European Parliament, 1994
• Human Rights Award from the Government of France, 1994
• Kurt Tucholsky Prize, Swedish PEN, Sweden, 1994
• Hellman-Hammett Grant from Human Rights Watch, USA, 1994
• Humanist Award from Human-Etisk Forbund, Norway, 1994
• Feminist of the Year from Feminist Majority Foundation, USA, 1994
• Honorary Doctorate from Ghent University, Belgium, 1995
• Scholarship from the German Academic Exchange Service, Germany, 1995
• Monismanien Prize from Uppsala University, Sweden, 1995
• Distinguished Humanist Award from International Humanist and Ethical Union, Great Britain, 1996
• Humanist Laureate from International Academy for Humanism, USA, 1996
• Ananda Award, India, 2000
• Global Leader for Tomorrow, World Economic Forum, 2000
• Erwin Fischer Award, International League of non-religious and atheists (IBKA), Germany, 2002
• Free-thought Heroine Award, Freedom From Religion Foundation, USA, 2002
• Fellowship at Carr Centre for Human Rights Policy, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, USA, 2003
• UNESCO-Madanjeet Singh Prize for the promotion of tolerance and non-violence, 2004
• Honorary Doctorate from American University of Paris, France, 2005
• Grand Prix International Condorcet-Aron 2005, from the French-Parliament in Belgium, 2005

• Women in Muslim societies
• Criticism of Islam
• Apostasy in Islam
• List of notable former Muslims

1. ^ http://portal.unesco.org/education/en/ev.php-URL_ID=35219&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html
2. ^ ^{a b c} Indian Muslim group calls for beheading of writer, Khaleej Times Online / Agence France-Presse, 17 March 2007
3. ^ Shunned writer Taslima Nasreen arrives in Indian capital, earthtimes.org / 23 November 2007
4. ^ BENGALI "BLASPHEMERY", The New Yorker, September 12, 1994 / 27 November 2007
5. ^ Bangla Desh Taslima Nazrin
6. ^ [blurb of Meyebela. My Bengali Girlhood, Taslima Nasrin, ISBN 1-58642-051-8
7. ^ Bangladesh bans third Taslima book BBC, 27 August, 2002
8. ^ Cleric quizzed over author threat, BBC News, June 27, 2006
9. ^ [http://in.news.yahoo.com/071126/48/6nq6s.html Yahoo News India November 27
10. ^ http://www.hindu.com/2007/11/26/stories/2007112650020100.htm
11. ^ Calcutta calm after day of riots, BBC News, November 22, 2007
12. ^ ^{a b} "Muslim lawmakers attack Taslima Nasreen", Reuters, 2007-08-09. Retrieved on 2007-08-28. 
13. ^ ^{a b} "Protesters attack author Nasreen", BBC News, 2007-08-09. Retrieved on 2007-08-28. 
14. ^ Iyer, Radhika. "Taslima Attacked", NDTV, 2007-08-09. Retrieved on 2007-08-28. 
15. ^ www.rediff.com
16. ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/7120473.stm BBC News Taslima Nasreen removes comment

• Taslima Nasreen and Others, a colleciton of poems by women poets of Bangladesh compiled by Faizul Latif Chowdhury, 1999, Dibya Prokash, Dhaka.

• online petition to defend her
• Taslima Nasrin: Gone with the wind!
• Taslima Nasreen:No Woman,No Cry
• Taslima Nasrin's homepage
• Taslima Nasrin: "Are These Stones Not Striking You?"
• For freedom of expression - by Taslima Nasrin
• Bulletin # 102 - Rationalist International
• Bangladeshi Writer Wins UNESCO Madanjeet Singh Prize - IFEX
• Irshad Manji's interview with Taslima Nasrin
• ISIS interview with Taslima Nasrin
• Profile: Taslima Nasrin
• 'Islam is history', says Taslima
• Karan Thapar interviews Taslima Nasrin in Devil's Advocate