Taslima Nasrin slams Bangladesh government: Yunus backing ‘religious extremists’

Nasrin blasts Bangladesh government’s extremism

Bangladeshi-Swedish writer Taslima Nasrin on Friday criticised the Bangladesh government, claiming that its chief advisor, Muhammad Yunus, has sided with the "religious extremists and empowered forces of division" in the country.

Speaking on 'Book for Peace' at the 4th Kerala Legislative Assembly International Book Festival (KLIBF), Nasrin also alleged that Yunus, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, was "promoting agendas that threaten secularism and safety of ordinary citizens."

She recalled that when "certain religious fanatics and extremists" threatened her life and issued fatwas against her over her books, the Bangladeshi government failed to act against them and instead issued an arrest warrant against her.

"Had the government taken action against the fanatics and jihadists then, this country (Bangladesh) would not have been so bad now. The government used religion for its own political interests and to stay in power as long as possible," Nasrin said.

She further accused the government of establishing religious schools to gain the support of fanatics "to stay in power for longer time," instead of investing in secular educational institutions and science academies.

Blaming the interim government for the current crisis in that country, she said, "The fundamentalists are kind of in power and Dr Yunus is supporting them. So, I do not know how we will get back this secular country again for which it fought against Pakistan in 1971.

"Now, the nation is divided and the Muslim extremists are killing and persecuting the religious minority communities and it must be stopped," she said.