Want to settle in Kolkata: Taslima

Having given up hopes of returning to her homeland, exiled Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasrin says she hopes to settle in Kolkata. “I have been in many countries after leaving Bangladesh but Kolkata is the only place where my heart beats. I share their language and culture while the West is totally different,” she said.

“I really don’t have any idea whether I will be able to go back to Kolkata. If Ms. Banerjee allows me, I would love to go back to Kolkata. Kolkata was my home for years. I miss the happiness I had in Kolkata,” she added. She realises that peace is still far away for her and says, – “as far as the situation is concerned I think the matter of settlement is not meant for me. Banning, censorship continues. Not only religious fatwas, I became an unfortunate victim of political and social fatwas. Life is not easy and peace is far away.”

Asked about the hopeless condition of going back to Bangladesh, Taslima said that she has “tried a lot but all in vain”. She alleged, “Whether it was Awami League or Bangladesh National Party, which ever political party forms the government, has been preventing me from going back to my country. It’s more than 17 years, but no government renewed my passport. So I really had no option left other than considering India as my homeland.”

The controversial author had been in the eye of controversy again a month back when she had not considered a foreign country. To justify herself, she commented – The world is ours and we are one. But the ongoing scenario seems to be not in a mood to leave her at such an ease.