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Taslima Nasrin
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==Literary works== {{quote box | quoted = true | width = 280px | align = right | salign = right | quote = Do you really think a God who created the universe, billions of galaxies, stars, billions of planets- would promise to reward some little things in a pale blue dot (i.e Earth) for repeatedly saying that he is the greatest and kindest and for fasting? Such a great creator can't be so narcissist!<br />-Taslima Nasrin<ref>{{cite web |url=https://twitter.com/taslimanasreen/status/1002197882248880128 |title=Taslima on God's narcissism |access-date=31 May 2018 |archive-date=2 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240602135652/https://twitter.com/taslimanasreen/status/1002197882248880128 |url-status=live }}</ref>}} Nasrin started writing poetry when she was thirteen. While still at college in Mymensingh, she published and edited a literary magazine, ''SeNjuti'' ("Light in the dark"), from 1978 to 1983. She published her first collection of poems in 1986. Her second collection, ''Nirbashito Bahire Ontore'' ("Banished within and without") was published in 1989. She succeeded in attracting a wider readership when she started writing columns in late 1980s, and, in the early 1990s, she began writing novels, for which she has won significant acclaim.<ref name="controversy">{{cite news |title=Taslima Nasreen: Controversy's child |work=BBC News |date=23 November 2007 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7108880.stm |access-date=31 May 2009 |archive-date=2 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240602135618/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/7108880.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> In all, she has written more than thirty books of poetry, essays, novels, short stories, and memoirs, and her books have been translated into 20 different languages. Her own experience of [[sexual abuse]] during adolescence and her work as a [[gynaecologist]] influenced her a great deal in writing about the treatment of [[women in Islam]] and against religion in general.<ref name="outsider"/> Her writing is characterised by two connected elements: her struggle with the religion of her native culture, and her [[feminist philosophy]]. She cites [[Virginia Woolf]] and [[Simone de Beauvoir]] as influences, and, when pushed to think of one closer to home, [[Roquia Sakhawat Hussain|Begum Rokeya]], who lived during the time of undivided [[Bengal]].<ref name="fume" /> Her later poetry also evidences a connection to place, to Bangladesh and India.<ref>{{cite web |title=Statement on Taslima Nasreen's departure from India |work=Mainstream |date=7 April 2008 |url=http://www.mainstreamweekly.net/article631.html |access-date=31 May 2009 |archive-date=2 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240602135619/http://www.mainstreamweekly.net/article631.html |url-status=live }}</ref> ===Columns and essays=== In 1989 Nasrin began to contribute to the weekly political magazine ''Khaborer Kagoj'', edited by Nayeemul Islam Khan, and published from Dhaka. Her feminist views and anti-religion remarks articles succeeded in drawing broad attention, and she shocked the religious and conservative society of [[Bangladesh]] by her radical comments and suggestions.{{Citation needed|date=June 2009}} Later she collected these columns in a volume titled ''Nirbachita Column'', which in 1992 won her first [[Ananda Purashkar]] award, a prestigious award for Bengali writers. During her life in Kolkata, she contributed a weekly essay to the [[Bengali language|Bengali]] version of ''The Statesman'', called ''[[Dainik Statesman]]''. Taslima has always advocated for an Indian [[Uniform civil code]],<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/nasrin-makes-a-cameo-pledges-support-for-civil-code/articleshow/56743456.cms |title=Taslima Nasrin: Taslima Nasrin makes a cameo, pledges support for civil code | Jaipur News - Times of India |work=The Times of India |access-date=7 August 2019 |archive-date=2 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240602135619/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/nasrin-makes-a-cameo-pledges-support-for-civil-code/articleshow/56743456.cms |url-status=live}}</ref> and said that criticism of [[Islam]] is the only way to establish secularism in Islamic countries.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-urgently-needs-uniform-civil-law-says-taslima-nasrin-4487787/ |title=India urgently needs uniform civil law, says Taslima Nasrin |date=23 January 2017 |access-date=23 January 2017 |archive-date=2 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240602140658/https://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-urgently-needs-uniform-civil-law-says-taslima-nasrin-4487787/ |url-status=live}}</ref> Taslima said that [[Triple talaq]] is despicable and the [[All India Muslim Personal Law Board]] should be abolished.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/the-interviews-blog/triple-talaq-is-despicable-all-india-muslim-personal-law-board-should-be-abolished-for-the-sake-of-muslims/ |title=Triple talaq is despicable ... All India Muslim Personal Law Board should be abolished for the sake of Muslims |newspaper=The Times of India |date=5 May 2017 |last1=David |first1=Rohit E. |access-date=5 May 2017 |archive-date=4 May 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170504233740/http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/the-interviews-blog/triple-talaq-is-despicable-all-india-muslim-personal-law-board-should-be-abolished-for-the-sake-of-muslims/ |url-status=live}}</ref> Taslima used to write articles for online media venture The Print in India.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://theprint.in/opinion/a-new-invisible-partition-is-happening-in-india-between-hindus-and-muslims/91414/ |title=A new, invisible Partition is happening in India between Hindus and Muslims |work=[[ThePrint]] |date=August 2018 |access-date=2 June 2024 |archive-date=1 August 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180801094325/https://theprint.in/opinion/a-new-invisible-partition-is-happening-in-india-between-hindus-and-muslims/91414/ |url-status=live}}</ref> ===Novels=== In 1992 Nasrin produced two novellas which failed to draw attention. Her breakthrough novel [[Lajja (novel)|''Lajja'' (''Shame'')]] was published in 1993, and attracted wide attention because of its controversial subject matter. It contained the struggle of a patriotic Bangladeshi Hindu family in a Muslim environment.<ref name="radicals">{{cite news |date=25 September 1993 |title=Radicals in Bangladesh Want Writer Put to Death |work=[[The State (newspaper)|The State]] |page=4A}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Ahmed |first=Anis |date=31 October 1993 |title=Bangladesh Author Has Bounty on Her Head |work=[[Chicago Tribune]] |page=11}}</ref> Initially written as a thin documentary, ''Lajja'' grew into a full-length novel as the author later revised it substantially. In six months' time, it sold 50,000 copies in Bangladesh before being banned by the government that same year.<ref name="radicals"/> Her other famous novel is ''French Lover'', published in year 2002.{{citation needed|date=April 2021}} ===Autobiography=== [[Meyebela, My Bengali Girlhood|''Amar Meyebela'' (''My Girlhood'', 2002)]], the first volume of her memoir, was banned by the Bangladeshi government in 1999 for "reckless comments" against Islam and the prophet [[Mohammad]].<ref name="bbc13Aug1999">{{cite news |last=Ahmed |first=Kamal |title=Bangladesh bans new Taslima book |work=BBC News |date=13 August 1999 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/419428.stm |access-date=1 June 2009 |archive-date=2 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240602140657/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/419428.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> ''Utal Hawa'' (''Wild Wind''), the second part of her memoir, was banned by the Bangladesh government in 2002.<ref name="bbc27Aug2002">{{cite news |title=Bangladesh bans third Taslima book |work=BBC News |date=27 August 2002 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/2218972.stm |access-date=1 June 2009 |archive-date=5 January 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090105165244/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/2218972.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> ''Ka'' (''Speak up''), the third part of her memoir, was banned by the Bangladeshi High Court in 2003. Under pressure from Indian Muslim activists, the book, which was published in West Bengal as ''Dwikhandita'', was banned there also; some 3,000 copies were seized immediately.<ref>{{cite news |title=Bengal bans Taslima's book |date=28 November 2003 |url=http://www.hindu.com/2003/11/29/stories/2003112905441100.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031204104119/http://www.hindu.com/2003/11/29/stories/2003112905441100.htm |archive-date=4 December 2003 |access-date=1 June 2009 |work=[[The Hindu]] |location=Chennai, India}}</ref> The decision to ban the book was criticized by "a host of authors" in West Bengal,<ref>{{cite news |last=Joshua |first=Anita |title=West Bengal Government assailed for banning Taslima's book |date=18 February 2004 |url=http://www.hindu.com/2004/02/19/stories/2004021911291100.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040323054659/http://www.hindu.com/2004/02/19/stories/2004021911291100.htm |archive-date=23 March 2004 |work=[[The Hindu]] |access-date=1 June 2009}}</ref> but the ban was not lifted until 2005.<ref>{{cite news |last=Dhar |first=Sujoy |title=Arts Weekly/Books: Split By Leftists and Fanatics |publisher=[[Inter Press Service]] |year=2005 |url=http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=30522 |access-date=1 June 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080525103304/http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=30522 |archive-date=25 May 2008 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Court lifts ban on Nasreen's book in Bengal |work=[[Rediff.com]] |date=23 September 2005 |url=http://www.rediff.com/news/2005/sep/23taslima.htm |access-date=1 June 2009 |archive-date=30 August 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080830002756/http://www.rediff.com/news/2005/sep/23taslima.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> ''Sei Sob Ondhokar'' (''Those Dark Days''), the fourth part of her memoir, was banned by the Bangladesh government in 2004.<ref>{{cite web |title=Exiled Taslima Nasrin to return to Bangladesh |publisher=Indian Muslims |date=16 July 2007 |url=http://www.indianmuslims.info/news/2007/jul/15/exiled_taslima_nasrin_return_bangladesh.html |access-date=1 June 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120504034442/http://www.indianmuslims.info/news/2007/jul/15/exiled_taslima_nasrin_return_bangladesh.html |archive-date=4 May 2012 |url-status=usurped}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=New book banned at behest of Islamic bigots: Taslima |agency=[[Press Trust of India]] |date=20 February 2004 |url=http://news.indiainfo.com/2004/02/20/2002taslima.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081203004519/http://news.indiainfo.com/2004/02/20/2002taslima.html |archive-date=3 December 2008 |access-date=1 June 2009}}</ref> To date, a total of seven parts of her autobiography have been published. "Ami bhalo nei tumi bhalo theko priyo desh", " Nei kichu nei" and "Nirbashito". All seven parts have been published by Peoples's Book Society, Kolkata. She received her second ''Ananda Purashkar'' award in 2000, for her memoir ''Amar Meyebela'' (''My Girlhood'', published in English in 2002).
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