New Delhi: Exiled Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasrin, known for her outspoken criticism of religious fundamentalism, spoke at the Delhi Literature Festival on Sunday, where she made provocative remarks linking terrorism with Islam.
Drawing a comparison between the recent Pahalgam terror attack and the 2016 Dhaka café massacre, Nasrin stated, “terrorism will stay so long as Islam is there.”
The Lajja author elaborated on her view by criticizing the stagnation of religious reform, saying, “Islam has not evolved in 1,400 years.”
She continued, “Until it does, it will continue to breed terrorists. In the 2016 Dhaka attack, Muslims were slaughtered because they could not recite the Kalma. This is what happens when faith is allowed to overrule reason and humanity.”
On April 22, terrorists attacked a tourist group near Pahalgam in south Kashmir, killing 26 people.
Similarly, on July 1, 2016, gunmen stormed the Holey Artisan Bakery in Dhaka, resulting in the deaths of 29 people.
Eyewitnesses of the Pahalgam attack reported that the assailants asked victims to recite the Islamic declaration of faith, the “Kalma”, and opened fire on those who failed to do so.
Repeating her earlier assertion, Nasrin said, “Terrorism will stay as long as Islam is there.”
She further criticised the proliferation of mosques and religious schools, remarking, “In Europe, churches have turned into museums, but Muslims are busy building mosques everywhere. There are thousands and they still want more. What they produce are jihadists. There should be no madrasas. Children must read all books, not just one.”
Nasrin has lived in exile since 1994 after facing allegations of blasphemy in Bangladesh. Her years abroad have included stays in Sweden, the United States, and India.
Reflecting on her personal journey, she said, “I am a permanent resident of the United States and lived there for 10 years, but I always felt like an outsider. It was only when I came to Kolkata that I felt at home. Even after being thrown out of West Bengal, I found another home in Delhi. This country has given me a sense of belonging that my own country could not.”
“I love India. It feels like home,” she added.
Turning her attention to the state of women’s rights in Bangladesh, Nasrin condemned the lack of equality and voiced support for a Uniform Civil Code in India.
“Every civilised country must have a UCC. India too. I support it. Islamic patriarchs want Quranic rights. Rights must never be religious. If women’s security is compromised in the name of culture, religion or tradition, then we must question that culture. A society that cannot protect half of its population is a failed society,” she said.
