"With Her Death...": Exiled Bangladeshi Author Taslima Nasreen On Khaleda Zia

Exiled Bangladesh author Taslima Nasreen – many of whose books were banned by the government led by Khaleda Zia - commented Tuesday on the death of former Prime Minister.

On X Nasreen – in exile in India after being pressured into leaving Bangladesh by fundamentalist groups and death threats – spoke darkly of Zia "siding with jihadists by filing a case for 'hurting religious sentiments'… against a secular, humanist, feminist, free-thinking writer".

"She issued an arrest warrant against the writer and then she unjustly expelled that writer – m e – from my own country. During her rule, she did not allow me to return home."

"… with her death, will the bans on books she banned be lifted? They should be lifted. She banned my 'Lajja' in 1993. She banned 'Utal Hawa' in 2002. She banned 'Ka' in 2003. She banned 'Those Dark Days' in 2004."

Khaleda Zia has passed away. She was 80 years old. From a housewife she became a party chief, and served as the country's prime minister for ten years. She lived a successful life—a long life. Sheikh Hasina kept her in jail for two years; apart from that period, I don't think she…

— taslima nasreen (@taslimanasreen) December 30, 2025

"While she was alive, she did not stand up for freedom of expression by lifting the bans on those books. If her death now ends up protecting freedom of expression, so be it," Nasreen declared.

Among the banned novels mentioned by Nasreen is 'Lajja', which translates as 'Shame', which spoke about violence against Hindus after the Babri Masjid demolition in 1992. The book was first banned in Bangladesh in 1993 but that was temporarily lifted. However, amid continuing protests the book was then banned for a second time.

In May 1994 four more books were banned, including 'Fera', or 'Divorce', 'Phera', or 'Return', and 'Nirbasan' or 'Exile', citing threats to public order and hurting of religious sentiments.

All of this was after death threats and mob violence from fundamentalist groups aligned with Zia's BNP, which led Nasreen to flee, first to Sweden in 1994 and then India a decade later.

READ | Khaleda Zia, Former Bangladesh PM And BNP Chief, Dies At 80

Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia – seen as a leading contender in next year's general election – died after a prolonged illness early Tuesday. Zia, 80, was being treated for infections in her heart and lungs, and was also suffering from pneumonia, national dailies said.

READ | Khaleda Zia's India Equation: From 'Slavery' Attacks To Anti-Terror Vow

Though Zia had been out of power since 2006 and had spent several years in jail or under house arrest, she and her centre-right BNP continued to command much support.

READ | Tarique Rahman, The 'Dark Prince' And A 'Shadow PMO' That Ran Bangladesh

The BNP is seen as the frontrunner to win the parliamentary election due in February. Her son and acting chairman of the party, Tarique Rahman, 60, returned to the country last week from nearly 17 years in self-exile and is widely seen as a strong candidate to become prime minister.

NDTV is now available on WhatsApp channels. Click on the link to get all the latest updates from NDTV on your chat.