Bangla blogs: It's all about Taslima

On August 9th, the firebrand Bangladeshi author-in-exile Taslima Nasrin was attacked by a group of MIM (Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen) activists during a function held at the Press Club in Hyderabad, India. The MIM claimed that the author had made offensive statements against Islam during the book release function, thus inciting the attack. The group have also lodged a police complaint based on which a case has been lodged against Taslima under Section 153-A (inciting enmity between different groups) of the Indian Penal Code.

Bangla author Taslima Nasrin being protected from hecklers at the Press Club in Hyderabad. Photograph:Noah Seelam/ AFP

Bangla author Taslima Nasrin being protected from hecklers at the Press Club in Hyderabad. Photograph:Noah Seelam/ AFP

On the other hand, the attack has been strongly denounced by the media and public and the government has been criticised for its soft approach towards the attackers. The incident is quickly taking on a political dimension. With local elections round the corner, experts say that the MIM is likely to use it as a tool to mobilise Muslim votes.

The attack has created ripples in the Bangla blog world as well. The Hidden God strongly denounces the attack on the author. He says:

 

“তসলিমা লেখালেখির মাধ্যমে নিজের মত প্রকাশ করেছেন তাই কেউ যদি তার প্রতিবাদ করতে চায় তবে তাও লেখালেখির মাধ্যমেই করা উচিত । এভাবে অসামাজিক কাজকর্ম করে নয়

Taslima has expressed her views in writing so anyone wanting to protest against her views should also do so through writing and not through anti-social acts such as this attack on her.

Kazi Alim Zamal too has strong words for the attackers. Also, he feels that the Indian government should grant Taslima her request for citizenship.

Other bloggers like Arif feel that the ban on Taslima should be lifted in Bangladesh and she should be allowed to return to her country of birth. In the comments section of the same post, various bloggers like Bhaskar, Balai etc., have agreed with Arif's point of view and also added that adequate security should be provided to Taslima, who has a fatwa on her life issued by Islamic fundamentalists.

6 comments

  • farha

    well friends do u know wat she has written against ISLAM..if u hve read that then u will never say what all u are saying in favour of TASLIMA NASRIN….N MR.ARIF,y adequate security is to b provided to her just bcoz she has written against ISLAM,,,,KAZI ALIM SAHAB,y the indian government should grant her INDIAN CITIZENSHIP just bcoz she is hurting the emotions of crocres of INDIAN MUSLIMS…….FREEDOM OF SPEECH doesnt mean that u can insults any RELIGION,,,,,,,RELIGIONS ARE ALLWAYS ABOVE N BEYOND THE WORLD.

  • farha

    N one more people are saying so many bad things about the people[MIM LEADER AKBAR UDDIN OWAISI] who attacked TASLIMA,,,,bt if we see its only these people who reacted first against her n made everyone realise that she is against the religion ISLAM,,,

  • farha

    n one more things i wud like to add friends,,few people who r peace loving are suggesting that this attack on TASLIMA was barbaric n shameful,,many of the people r against the leader of MIM.MLA.JANAAB AKBAR UDDDIN OWAISI SAHAAB,,,who strongly protested against TASLIMA,,,,before that nobody knws who taslima was? what are her writings,,what are her views,,what are her thoughts?what all she feels n writes,its all aginst the religion ISLAM,,she keeps writing saying that she has a right to express her freedom of speech,,that to in INDIA,,where she is a guest n hurting the sentiments of the host? Its all bcoz of MR.AKBAR OWAISI THAT she is in to lights n everybody got to know what she is writing is all against ISLAM….Now people have also started reacting against her,,,,THE LATEST NEWS OF 2DAYS,,,THE SHAAHI IMAAM OF KOLKATTA HAVE ISSUED AN FATWAA AGAINST TASLIMA THAT SHE SHOULD B SENT AWAY 4M KOLKATTA………n friends u wil all see soon that TASLIMA WILL B SENT AWAY 4M INDIA……LETZ SEE WHO WILL HELP HER.

  • TruthSeeker

    The point is not whether she is actually against islam or not. So what? She has a right to be against islam, christianity, hinduism, or any other religion. You have no right to not be offended. If you do not like what she says about your religion, respond peacefully through words with what you believe and why she is wrong. Or even better, do not listen to something you do not like to hear if you cannot hear it without becoming a barbarian. She has a right to peacefully express herself, even if her expression is offensive. No one has a right to physically attack her.

  • lucky ali

    Please give me link for download Taslima’s books free.
    I really want to read it.

  • Day by day, with show of intolerance, the so called moral guardians of religion are perhaps only hurting the cause of religion itself.

    I agree with Hidden God and TruthSeeker. No one has the right to attack another just because their opinions are at loggerheads with each other.

    I wonder why it is so easy to incite hate and aggression in the name of religion?

    Some links to Taslima’s work, as requested (They are in Bangla):
    http://www.esnips.com/doc/221aba71-362e-4b30-b038-8a1b9c8f1770/Dikhondito-by-Toslima-Nasrin
    http://www.esnips.com/doc/7ae73c51-14db-4ebf-8417-a9c0869db546/Amar-Meye-Bela-by-Toslima-Nasrin

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