Homecoming after exile: Kolkata authors revisit 2007 as Taslima Nasrin returns after years
Times of India | 17 July 2026
Kolkata: As Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasrin prepares for her Kolkata visit, the city’s literary community is revisiting the shadows of 2007, when she was forced to leave amid intense communal protests. The discourse reveals complex layers; while many authors are criticising her long-standing exile, even former antagonists are setting aside past grievances to welcome her, reflecting a shift in the intellectual climate. Even the perceived role of Kolkata’s literary elite — most notably Sunil Gangopadhyay — in her ouster fuels debate among authors today.
Author Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay has welcomed Nasrin ’s return to Kolkata. He stated that an “injustice” was done to her during the Left Front govt and has requested the state administration to consider providing her with a permanent residence in Bengal.
Author Swapnamoy Chakraborty recalled the controversy, noting that “then chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee had consulted some authors” regarding the violence. While “Sunil Gangopadhyay’s name was prominently mentioned among those consulted”, Chakraborty clarified that the “Sei Somoy” author later disputed the narrative. “I have personally had a word on this matter with Sunil-da,” Chakraborty shared. “He said he had only advised that she be kept out of the city for a temporary period of time till the violence died down.”
Conversely, Chakraborty noted that the late Buddhadeb Guha claimed he was never consulted, emphasising that he “would not have supported such an expulsion if his opinion was sought then”. Reflecting on the political inertia that followed the 2011 regime change, Chakraborty expressed disappointment: “However, Trinamool never considered getting her back to Kolkata. Taslima deserved the opportunity to participate in the Kolkata Book Fair over the years. I welcome the fact that she is coming down now. I would request the govt to make arrangements so that she can stay on in this city if she chooses to.”
Author Prabal Kumar Basu echoed the sentiment, asserting that he is “against a ban on any writer”. Regarding her return, Basu noted, “I have always believed that her Kolkata visit or stay is long overdue. I am glad that she is coming down now. However, I am equally concerned that nothing is said that disrupts our communal harmony. I believe all writers, including Taslima, should exercise their freedom of speech responsibly.”
For author Amar Mitra, the expulsion was a calculated political move. “I would never want her to get used by any party to forward its interests in getting votes on communal lines. Any protest against her writing should also be through writing and not through her ouster from the city. It was absolutely wrong to oust Taslima from Kolkata,” said Mitra. Recalling a meeting in Delhi last Sept, the O Henry Prize-winning author added, “While Delhi is a nice city, Taslima truly wanted to live in Kolkata. She missed the cultural milieu of this city. Sadly, the previous govt did not take any initiative to facilitate her return. Keeping her out suited its vote-bank politics since Taslima writes against Islamic fundamentalism. I am happy that she is finally able to visit Kolkata; she should be able to move freely in this city.”
Poet Subodh Sarkar, once a vocal critic, has moved to set aside their history of “mutual antagonism” to welcome her back. Having observed the global plight of writers forced into displacement, he now views her struggle through a lens of solidarity. “Taslima, like Salman Rushdie, has fought her battle bravely to survive as a writer,” he states. “I want to erase our past differences and welcome her. I believe it was unfair for both govts to keep her away from the city for so long.”