Kolkata: Exiled Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasrin on Sunday appealed to the Bangladesh government to lift its ban on Awami League and help ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina return to the country.
At a press conference in Kolkata, Nasrin said, “The way Awami League leader Sheikh Hasina has been ousted is wrong. This is not a democratic process. Banning Awami League is also completely undemocratic. The party should be given the opportunity to participate in the elections. I want Sheikh Hasina to return to Bangladesh.”
In her words, although Nasrin had criticised Hasina but she is against the banning of Awami League.
It may be noted that the writer was exiled from Bangladesh during Sheikh Hasina’s tenure.
On Sunday, Nasrin has appealed to the current Bangladesh Nationalist Party government in Bangladesh to help Hasina return to the country.
According to Nasrin, Sheikh Hasina should be given the opportunity to return to Bangladesh to lead her party and participate in the elections.
Meanwhile, Taslima Nasrin expressed hope that relations between India and Bangladesh would improve, saying India had made a huge contribution to Bangladesh’s Independence.
“But nobody has asked me to go back. How will I go back to my country,” she said.
Speaking about the political situation in Bangladesh, Nasrin said she did not see any decline in the influence of fundamentalist groups.
“I do not see any signs of it declining. On the contrary, it is increasing. Jamaat-e-Islami will now have a presence in the Parliament. It would have been better if the Awami League had remained the principal Opposition party,” she added.
Nasrin also said there was “no difference” between the Tarique Rahman government and the Muhammad Yunus government in Bangladesh.
“In fact, Hindus have faced greater persecution during Yunus’s tenure,” she said.
Nasrin also alleged that the Bangladesh government does not take action against people who torture Hindus.
She also claimed that hatred towards non-Muslims is taught in many madrasas and said Hindus, Buddhists and Christians face persecution in Bangladesh.
“What is needed most is education. Everyone has the right to live. Instead of building more temples and madrasas, there should be greater emphasis on education,” she added.
(IANS)
