Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasrin receiving the lifetime achievement award instituted by Litmus 2025 from T.J. Joseph, whose hand was chopped off by extremists, in Kochi on Sunday.
Exiled Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasrin has asserted that she will continue to fight fundamentalism, extremism and intolerance and stand for freedom, equality and human dignity.
Speaking after receiving the lifetime achievement award instituted by Litmus 2025, a collective of freethinkers and atheists, here on Sunday, Ms. Nasrin said she had criticised all kinds of religions, patriarchal traditions, cultures, and customs while supporting women’s rights.
“My criticism is proportionate to the harm a religion inflicts. The more a religion violates human rights, oppresses women, fosters intolerance, and spreads cruelty and barbarism, the more I will challenge it. I have always stood beside the oppressed, whoever they are. I have defended Muslims whenever they were persecuted, just as I have defended Hindus oppressed in Bangladesh or Christians oppressed in Pakistan. To me, religious identity is irrelevant. Human beings may believe or not believe—but no one should be oppressed for their belief or non-belief,” she said.
According to her, no country has ever become civilised without criticising the dogmatic practices of its religions. “Without separating state and religion, no State or society has ever become modern. Freedom of speech and expression must include the right to differ, to offend as well as to praise—a truth that most people in many countries neither know nor accept. Without the right to offend, freedom of expression cannot exist. And without freedom of expression, democracy will not work, she said.
“I have been fighting every day against injustice and inequality—against religious terrorism and superstition, bigotry and obscurantism. I have been fighting for human rights, women’s rights, freedom of expression, and humanism. I do not fear to tell the truth,” she said.
Ms Nasrin, who has been living in exile for over three decades, said she was thrown out of her country for the crime of saying that religious scriptures were out of time and place.
“I have no home. I am a Bengali writer, but I have no place in Bengal. Bangladesh expelled me, even West Bengal threw me out for no fault of mine,” she lamented.
However, Ms. Nasrin said she had a home in the heart of every rationalist, free thinker, secularist and humanist and their solidarity was her shelter and their love, her country.
She received the prize from T.J. Joseph, whose hand was chopped off by extremists.
Published – October 19, 2025 08:24 pm IST
