Islamists crash book fair in Dhaka over the works of a feminist writer
Taslima Nasrin, a physician and activist, went into exile in 1994 after extremist groups made threats against her. The head of Bangladesh’s interim government Muhammad Yunus denounced the incident asking police to strengthen security measures. Tensions mounted on social media in the days leading up to the opening of the event.
Dhaka (AsiaNews) – A violent clash broke out at the Amar Ekushey Book Fair in Dhaka when some Islamists attacked a stall displaying works by Taslima Nasrin, a Bangladeshi writer forced into exile for her secularist and feminist positions.
The incident forced police to close the stall set up by the Sabyasachi bookstore in Suhrawardy Udyan, once again highlighting the growing tensions over freedom of expression and religious extremism in the country.
Some videos posted on social media show a mob storming the stall, turning off the lights and demanding the removal of Nasrin's books, claiming they are “promoting atheism”.
The police intervened by detaining the writer Shatabdi Bhav, who was present at the scene, and covered the stall with a tarpaulin to prevent further mayhem.
Amid the chaos, some protesters threatened to destroy the stand, while Muhammad Arif, a bystander, livestreamed the scene on Facebook, documenting the vandalism and hostile slogans that were uttered.
Yesterday, the chief adviser to Bangladesh’s caretaker government, Muhammad Yunus, condemned the attack, which took place on Monday evening.
“The attack shows contempt for both the rights of Bangladeshi citizens and for the laws of our country,” he said in a statement shared by his Press Secretary, Shafiqul Alam.
“Such violence betrays the open-minded spirit of this great Bangladeshi cultural fixture, which commemorates the language martyrs who lost their lives on 21 February 1952 in defence of their mother tongue,” he explained.
The police have been ordered to boost security at the fair and make sure that no untoward incidents occur, the statement noted.
Taslima Nasrin, a physician and activist, has been living in exile since 1994 after receiving death threats from Islamist groups because of her criticism of religious fundamentalism and the status of women in Bangladesh.
Her books have been banned in the country, but the Sabyasachi bookstore, run by Sanjana Mehrin, wife of Shatabdi Bhav, sold them at the fair in the past.
This year, however, the publication of Nasrin’s new book, Kiss, sparked an unprecedented reaction, fuelled by a vitriolic campaign on social media.
Starting on Sunday, a series of viral posts called for the removal of the stall, claiming that it “spreads atheism”, creating a tense climate.
Shahbagh Police Station Inspector Asaduzzaman confirmed Bhav's temporary detention, but did not provide further details.
Sanjana Mehrin said she had been pressured by the authorities to remove Nasrin's books even before the attack. “We complied, but they came anyway. This fair now feels dominated by militants,” she told reporters, visibly shaken.
The bookseller now fears for her family's safety. “Threats are relentless – I fear for my children,” she said, noting that more and more visitors are avoiding the fair because of Islamist influence.
The episode reflects the growing power of extremist groups in Bangladesh, increasingly active in targeting cultural and intellectual events.
Although the government promotes the Ekushey Book Fair – which will run until 28 February – as a celebration of Bengali literary heritage, this year's event has been marked by an escalation of censorship and political pressure.
Amid the difficulties, Sanjana refuses to bend. “I believe in the people of this country,” she said, announcing the imminent publication of Taslima Nasrin's second book, Torn Pages. “How can people's minds be free if they are not exposed to the ideas of freethinkers?” she wonders.
Still, tensions peaked at the fair after the Student Movement Against Discrimination installed a dustbin with Hasina's image, defined as the "Pillar of Hate". The group led the protests last year that forced then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to resign and flee to India.
For his part, Chief Adviser Yunus’s press secretary, Shafiqul Alam, was captured on the first day of the fair on a Facebook post throwing dirt into the dustbin. He later removed the controversial post from his Facebook page.
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25/02/2023 17:57
