Taslima Nasreen to return to Kolkata after 19 years, seeks 'new memories'

Exiled Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen will return to Kolkata on October 7, less than two months after her first visit to the city in 19 years, with a schedule that includes poetry readings, a literary discussion and meetings with readers.

Nasreen said she wants people not only to listen to her work but also to engage with it critically. "Bring your questions, your thoughts, and your disagreements. A writer needs readers who think independently and are willing to question her too," she told news agency PTI in an exclusive interview from New Delhi on Friday.

She said she was "very happy" to be returning to Kolkata, which she described as a place of literature, readers and friends that gives her a sense of belonging.

Recalling her visit in July after almost 19 years, Nasreen said it had been "overwhelming", bringing both affection and the painful realisation of the years she had lost. "Being able to return again so soon gives me hope that Kolkata can become a regular part of my life again," she said.

A day after arriving in Kolkata, Nasreen will recite her poetry at Mahajati Sadan, where renowned artists will perform songs based on her poems. The programme, "Shikol Bhangar Golpo" ("Stories of Breaking Chains"), will focus on feminism in poetry and songs dealing with women's love, desires, suffering, resistance and their right to live on their own terms.

She is also scheduled to speak on "Boundaries of Decency and Obscenity in Literature" at BD Auditorium in Salt Lake on October 11. The event will also mark the launch of her English-language children's book, "Jasmine".

Nasreen said she hoped the evening would be "a lively exchange about literature and the freedom to write", and added that she would sign books, read her poems and listen to the audience's thoughts.

Referring to her readers and admirers in Kolkata, she said, "Keep reading, keep questioning, and stand up for the freedom to express an opinion, even an unpopular one. I look forward to being among you, sharing my work, and hearing your voices."

She added that meeting readers mattered deeply to her. "Writing is a solitary activity. You rarely know exactly where your words will travel or whose life they will touch. Meeting readers makes that connection visible, and that is precious to me," she said.

Nasreen also said she wants to attend the Mahalaya programme at Eden Gardens on October 10, to be hosted by the West Bengal government. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah are on the guest list for the programme.

If time permits, she hopes to travel to Kolaghat to savour hilsa and visit either Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar's birthplace, Birsingha in Paschim Medinipore, or Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's home in Howrah district.

Away from the formal events, she also plans to meet old friends and spend time in adda, which she said she had deeply missed. "So much of my attachment to Kolkata lives in these ordinary moments. I want time to enjoy them again, and to make new memories with the people I have missed," she said.

Nasreen's visit will combine public literary appearances with personal reunions, as she returns to a city she says remains central to her life and writing.