Kolkata, August 2: West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari assured renowned Bangladeshi writer and poet Taslima Nasreen on Saturday that her safety would be guaranteed whenever she visits Kolkata.
Speaking at a cultural event in Kolkata, Adhikari emphasized, “It is my responsibility to ensure your safety in a secure West Bengal. You can come and speak whenever you wish. The current West Bengal is free from restrictions. Everyone has the right to freedom of expression. Intimidation is a thing of the past. Today, it is clear that democracy, the constitution, fundamental rights, and freedom of expression are secure under the new state government.” Nasreen was the keynote speaker at the event.
Nasreen returned to Kolkata on Friday after nearly 19 years. She had to leave the city in 2007 due to violence surrounding the release of her book “Dwikhandito” during the tenure of then Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee.
On Saturday, she addressed a cultural program organized by various cultural groups at Rabindra Sadan in central Kolkata. The Chief Minister urged Nasreen to visit Kolkata fearlessly and reassured her of her safety.
In 2007, the publication of “Dwikhandito” turned parts of Kolkata into a battleground. Tensions escalated in minority-dominated areas, prompting the administration to deploy the army. The then Left Front government banned the book’s distribution and asked Nasreen to leave the city.
This unwritten ban continued during the Trinamool Congress government’s tenure from 2011 to 2016. The national literary community criticized the CPI(M)-led Left Front government for yielding to pressure from radical groups.
Even during the 15 years of Trinamool Congress rule from 2011 to 2026, former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee did not take any steps to facilitate Nasreen’s return to Kolkata.
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