Taslma Nasrin

The outspoken Bangladeshi writer and women's rights campaigner has fled her own country for Sweden.

TASLIMA NASRIN found herself in trouble with Muslim fundamentalists after publication of her novel Lajja (Shame), which depicts Hindus mistreated by Muslims. It was denounced in September 1993 because it created 'misunderstanding between communities'. Muslim fundamentalists were further angered the following year when she gave an interview to the Calcutta Statesman giving the impression that she was critical of the Quran. Death threats followed and an arrest warrant was issued on the charge of 'insulting religious sentiments'. She went into hiding. On 3 August, she appeared in court and was given bail. Shortly after this, with the connivance of the Bangladesh government, she left the country for Sweden where she was the guest of the Swedish PEN.

Humanists have defended Taslima Nasrin throughout her active in her defence and received much coverage in the media for their views. A representative of the Indian Rationalist Association, Sanal Edamaruku, kept in close touch with Taslima Nasrin, and discussed the matter with senior Indian politicians. Many other Indian humanist groups lobbied the government. Sanal Edamaruku organised a meeting between Taslima Nasrin and the Norwegian ambassador. (Norwegian humanists had been in contact with the Norwegian government.)

IHEU expressed concern over the case at its Board Meeting in Toronto (July 1994), where the following motion was passed:-The International Humanist and Ethical Union expresses its grave concern about the treatment of writers and editors in Bangladesh. The harassment and persecution of the humanist author Taslima Nasrin and of newspaper editors who have supported her cause is an attempt to suppress the right to question and criticise religious belief and practice. These persecutions violate fundamental human rights, including the rights of freedom of belief and expression.

The world humanist community is deeply concerned about the safety of Taslima Nasrin in the face of the demands by fundamentalists for her arrest and public hanging. We urge the Bangladesh government to withdraw the arrest warrant issued against Taslima Nasrin, to provide her with protection against possible attack, and to prosecute those individuals and groups that have called for her murder.

The IHEU also urges that the ban on Taslima Nasrin's novel Lajja (Shame) be withdrawn and that the freedom of the author to speak on the basis of her conscience be upheld. Tolerance of minority opinions, and the freedom to express these views, are fundamental democratic principles. The IHEU calls upon the Bangladesh government to defend the democratic principles of Bangladesh and to uphold the basic freedom of Taslima Nasrin and others who question the authority of religion.

IHEU also wrote to the Bangladesh President, Prime Minister and Home Secretary. Member organisations of IHEU were contacted and encouraged to do the same. The IHEU representative at Geneva raised the case with the UN Rights Commission and the IHEU representative at UNESCO also raised the matter. Other humanist groups in the USA, Holland and Australia also wrote letters of protest.

At the heart of Taslima Nasrin's activities is a deep-rooted determination to improve the position of women, who are treated as slaves and have no control over their own wombs. The empowerment of women is seen as a deep threat to the power of the Mullahs.

In an interview with Sara Whyatt (Index, September/October 1994), Taslima Nasrin demonstrated her forthright views. She was asked whether she really wanted to rewrite or modernise the Quran. She replied:

The Quran can no longer serve as the basis of our law. A thousand years ago it may have been useful for fending- off barbarism. But we live in modern times, the era of science and technology. The Quran has become superfluous. It stands in the way of progress and the way of women's emancipation.

She was asked whether she still thought herself a Muslim:-

No, I ara an atheist. All forms of religion are anachronistic to me. I dream of a world without religion. Religion gives birth to fundamentalism as surely as the seed gives birth to the tree. We can tear the tree down, but if the seed remains it will produce another tree. While the seed remains we cannot root out fundamentalism.