Taslima Nasreen Advocates Equal Concern for Minorities in Bangladesh and Global Atrocities

Taslima Nasreen, a lifelong rebel and Bangladeshi poet, is calling on her fellow citizens to be equally concerned about the suffering of minorities in Bangladesh as they are about atrocities in Palestine. Despite her age of 62, Nasreen‘s determination to fight against injustice remains undiminished. She emphasizes the importance of condemning all forms of atrocities worldwide, including those affecting Israelis and Palestinians. She draws attention to the ongoing attacks on minorities in Bangladesh, leading to many forced to become refugees.

Recent incidents in Bangladesh, such as the assault on an elderly Hindu poet and reports of attacks on temples and other community properties, underscore the pressing issue of minority rights. Taslima Nasreen points out that despite economic development in Bangladesh, fundamentalism is on the rise, and gender imbalances persist. She expresses concern about the government’s support for Qaumi Madrasas, which promote fundamentalism.

Nasreen also criticizes the ruling party’s failure to reinstate the 1972 constitutional provisions on secularism and implement laws for gender equality in marriage, divorce, and property inheritance. She questions the quality of elections in Bangladesh and calls for the opposition leader, Begum Khaleda Zia, to be allowed to travel abroad for medical treatment. In addition to her political concerns, Nasreen discusses her writing, mentioning that a newspaper column she used to write for has been discontinued. She is currently working on a book called ‘Dusahas’ (Audacity) that addresses her alleged mistreatment by a city hospital. She is also excited about her first-ever comprehensive collection of poetry translated from Bengali to English, titled ‘Burning Roses,’ which explores themes of relationships and independence

Re-reported from the article originally published in The India Today