Exiled Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen has returned to Kolkata, marking her emotional homecoming to the city after nearly 19 years. Landing from New Delhi, Nasreen expressed profound joy, stating that she felt wonderful to be back in the cultural hub she has always considered her true home.

Nasreen was originally forced out of Kolkata in November 2007 following violent protests orchestrated by extremist groups over her controversial memoir Dwikhandito. Prior to that, she had fled Bangladesh in 1994 facing severe threats over her novel Lajja.

Describing her return as bittersweet—filled with both joy and the lingering pain of forced displacement—she noted that her deep connection with the city and its readers never faded. During her stay, Nasreen is scheduled to make a major public appearance at an anti-fundamentalism literary program at Rabindra Sadan, symbolizing a long-awaited return for the defiant writer.