Author: Staff Correspondent
Publication: The Daily Star
Date: October 14, 2002
URL: http://www.dailystarnews.com/200210/14/n2101406.htm#BODY3
Controversial feminist writer Taslima
Nasrin has been given one year's prison term for her derogatory comments
on Islam in several of her books including 'Lajja.'
Magistrate Shah Alam delivered the
verdict in absentia in a Gopalganj court on Saturday for 'hurting religious
sentiment of the Muslims'.
It followed a suit filed by one
Dabiruddin Azad in 1999, accusing Taslima of writing 'offensive comments'
about Islam.
This is first sentence against the
writer who is living abroad since fleeing Bangladesh eight years back in
the face of death threats by some religious extremists.
Appearing before the trial court,
she can now appeal before higher court against the verdict.
Taslima, now in Sweden, came to
Bangladesh in 1998 to see her ailing mother but left after her mother's
death.
She had been in India recently in
connection with publication of her latest book 'Wild Wind' (Utol Hawa in
Bengali). The 'Wild Wind' and two of her earlier written books -- 'Shame'
(Lajja) and 'My Childhood' (Amaar Meyebela) -- are banned in Bangladesh.
