Taslima Nasrin: Quotes about women

“I was born in a Muslim family and Muslim women suffer under Islam.”

Taslima Nasrin

" Islam is history: Taslima https://web.archive.org/web/20060830195422/http://www.teluguportal.net/modules/news/article.php?storyid=10896", Telugu Portal (22 August, 2006).

Women , Family , Suffering

“[Women in Islamic countries] are exposed to male domination as a rule rather than as an exception… If anyone protests… as I have done, you are sure to be branded as a witch… What I demand is freedom for women from male domination and a uniform code… It that can be construed as blasphemy, I cannot help it.”

Taslima Nasrin

Quoted from Ram Swarup, Woman in Islam, 2000

Women , Freedom , Help , Country

“Politicians are all on the same platform when it comes down to me. I think it’s because they think that if they can satisfy the Muslim fundamentalists they will get votes. I believe I am a victim of votebank politics. This also shows that how weak the democracy is and politicians ask votes by banning a writer … Even though I am not staying there, she (Banerjee) has not allowed my book ‘Nirbasan’ to be published. Also, she has stopped the broadcast of a TV serial scripted by me after Muslim fundamentalists objected to it. She is not allowing me to enter the state… This is a dangerous opposition … I wrote to Mamata Banerjee. But there was no response to that… No I am not going to write to her again. I do not think she will consider my request. I feel very hopeless because I expected something positive. I think when it comes down to me, she has similar vision like that of the Left leaders…. I do not consider India as a foreign country. The history of this country is my history. It’s the country of my forefathers. I love this country and in Kolkata, I feel at home because I can relate that place to my homeland. … I have sacrificed my freedom and have been sacrificing for a big cause… All these (problems) are because of my writings. I could have stopped writing against fundamentalists and possibly the bans would have been removed and I had got back my freedom and allowed to enter my motherland again. But I will never do that. … I have spoken of humanism and equal rights for women and secularism stating that religion and nation should be treated separately. One should not get confused with nation and religion. Rules should be made based on equality, and not on religion. … I know that only by writing I will not be able to change an entire society. The laws need to be changed. Equal rights cannot be established in a short time, it requires a long time and huge efforts … I have got many awards but the best is when people come forward and tell me that my writings have help them change their vision,… I do not think I would have been treated in the same manner if I was born there (Europe). I am a writer, not an activist… I write with a pen and if you have any problem why do not you pick up a pen to protest…. The surprising thing in this part of the world is that they have picked up arms against me because I have expressed my views. I have never enforced my thoughts on anybody ever, then why they are trying to kill me. I am not a supporter of violence.”

Taslima Nasrin

Taslima Nasrin about Mamata, Indian Express https://indianexpress.com/article/india/mamata-banerjee-turned-out-harsher-than-left-in-my-case-taslima-nasreen-4486028/

Love , Women , People , Books

“Religion is against women's rights and women's freedom. In all societies women are oppressed by all religions.”

Taslima Nasrin

" Taslima Nasrin: A Writer On Trial http://atheistfoundation.org.au/article/taslima-nasrin-a-writer-on-trial/", Interview with Kerry O'Brien on "Lateline", ABC TV (1995).

Women , Religion , Freedom

“Many of my books are banned in Bangladesh. My book was banned in West Bengal too. Its government not only banned my book, it forced me to leave the state too. The new government banned the release of my book Nirbasan in 2012 and a few months ago forced a TV channel called Akash Ath to stop telecast of a mega serial I wrote. The serial was about women’s struggle and how three sisters living in Calcutta fight against patriarchal oppression to live their lives with dignity and honour. She (Mamata Banerjee) banned me to appease some misogynist mullahs.”

Taslima Nasrin

Taslima Nasrin, quoted in Outlook India, Outlook India https://www.outlookindia.com/magazine/story/dwikhandita/289581

Women , Books , Sister , Fight

“We have praised Taslima for speaking for Muslim women who do not have many spokesmen in the Muslim world. But her real glory is that she has also spoken for the persecuted Hindus in her country - for whom no one speaks, not even the Hindus.”

Taslima Nasrin

Ram Swarup, Woman in Islam, 2000

World , Women , Country