I support Hasina, banning Awami League not right: Taslima
Times of India | 5 August 2026
Kolkata: Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasrin on Tuesday reiterated her demand for lifting the ban on former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League, calling the move “undemocratic” and saying the party should be allowed to contest elections.
Speaking at a tribute programme for pioneering educationist and women’s rights reformer Begum Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain at Sodepur, near Panihati Mahotsab Tala Ghat, Nasrin also said Hasina should be allowed to return to Bangladesh.
“The ouster of Awami League leader and former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the way it happened was wrong. It was anti-democratic. Banning the party was absolutely undemocratic. They should be allowed to participate in elections. I want Hasina to return to Bangladesh. The ban on her party should be withdrawn,” Nasrin said.
She also expressed concern over what she described as the rise of religious fundamentalism in Bangladesh, saying it posed a serious threat to women’s freedom and progressive values.
“The politics of religious fundamentalists and Jamaat-backed extremism must be pushed back because it has become a major obstacle to women’s freedom and the country’s progress,” she said.
Nasrin, who has lived in exile for decades after facing threats from religious extremists over her writings, also spoke about her own uncertain future. “My own return to Bangladesh remains uncertain. I do not know when, or even if, I will ever be able to go back,” she said.
Earlier in the day, Nasrin paid floral tributes at the grave and statue of Begum Rokeya, one of the foremost advocates of women’s education and emancipation in the Indian subcontinent. She interacted with teachers and students of Panihati Balika Vidyalaya, discussing literature, women’s rights and Begum Rokeya’s legacy.
Reflecting on Rokeya’s contribution, Nasrin said the reformer had faced hostility from conservative and fundamentalist forces even after her death. She said such opposition had prevented Rokeya from being buried at several places in Kolkata before a compassionate individual arranged for her burial in Panihati.
“Begum Rokeya was a visionary who devoted her life to women’s education and emancipation. She deserves the highest respect. I feel honoured to pay tribute to her at her grave and statue today. Spending time with the teachers and students here has been a deeply satisfying experience,” Nasrin said.
Acting headmistress Mithu Islam said it was a privilege to welcome Nasrin to the school. “We are extremely proud and delighted to have Taslima Nasrin with us. Many of us have read her books. She interacted with the teachers and students of the morning section, and made everyone feel comfortable,” she said.
Begum Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain, one of the earliest champions of women’s education in Bengal, was buried in Sodepur near Panihati Mahotsab Tala Ghat on Dec 9, 1932, sources said.