[Reader-list] Taslima Nasrin responds to her Book ban

[joy at sarai.net]

http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/5922_477436,0015002000000085.htm

Taslima to post banned book on Net
Anjan Chakraborty
Kolkata, November 29

TO BEAT West Bengal’s ban on her latest book, Dwikhandito, controversial
Bangla-deshi author Taslima Nasreen has decided to put it on her website.
The website www.taslimanasreen.com, will be launched in a day or two.

Speaking exclusively to HT from her New York residence, Nasreen said: “A
friend is developing the website. Everyone who wishes to read the book,
but has failed to get a copy of it due to the ban, can visit my site and
read the original manuscript.”

Nasreen’s publisher in Kolkata has decided to move court against the ban.

Nasreen said she was shocked to find the Kolkata intelligentsia covertly
supporting the ban. "Many are scared that I might reveal my relationships
with them in my coming book. But that is not true. My next book, Shei Shob
Andhokar, deals only with my two months of hiding in Bangladesh.”

Castigating the ‘progressive’ Bengal government, Nasreen said “the grounds
on which the present book was banned are absurd because my earlier books
contained stronger religious statements".

Nasreen also plans to translate Dwikhandito into various languages to
cater to the readers in Europe and the US. “This was part of my original
plan and has nothing to do with the ban,” she said.

Meanwhile, the BJP and the Trinamool Congress on Saturday criticised the
state government’s decision to ban Dwikhandito.