{
  "id": 55870,
  "title": "Keep visiting Kolkata, your safety is my responsibility, West Bengal CM tells Taslima",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/02/keep-visiting-kolkata-your-safety-is-my-responsibility-west-bengal-cm",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-02T19:15:24.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Hindu",
    "slug": "the-hindu",
    "url": "https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/west-bengal/keep-visiting-kolkata-your-safety-is-my-responsibility-west-bengal-cm-tells-taslima/article71295484.ece"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "On August 1, 2026, West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari expressed his commitment to the safety of exiled Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasrin during her return to Kolkata after a 19-year absence. Speaking at Rabindra Sadan, the Chief Minister welcomed Ms. Nasrin, assuring her that her safety is the responsibility of the state. She had been exiled from Bangladesh in 1994 due to her writings but had since resided in Europe and Kolkata. However, her return to Kolkata in November 2007 was marred by violent protests against her books, prompting the deployment of the Army to maintain order.\n\nThe Chief Minister emphasized that the recent return of Taslima Nasrin indicates a change in the political landscape and a more open society. He highlighted that \"the entire system\" of West Bengal now ensures freedom of speech and does not harbor any barriers or chains. Adhikari welcomed Ms. Nasrin with a portrait of Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, the author of the national song Vande Mataram, while veteran BJP leader and former Tripura Governor Tathagata Roy also joined the event.\n\nTaslima Nasrin, now 63, expressed her gratitude to the West Bengal Chief Minister for facilitating her return, stating that the event allowed her to fulfill a dream that had eluded her for 19 years. She acknowledged that it was still painful to return to the city with such high security but expressed her love for the city and its people. Despite not aligning with any political party, Nasrin came to Kolkata to advocate for women's liberty and freedom of speech.",
  "summary": "Taslima Nasrin said that it was her dream to return to Kolkata and “history will remember those who shut the door on her and those who opened the door”",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}