Paris to house Bangladeshi exiled writer Taslima Nasrin

by Sanjay Jha | January 5, 2009 at 12:23 am

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Internationally acclaimed award winning Bangladeshi feminist writer Taslima Nasrin has been under threat from Islamist extremists and been living in hiding at several places after fleeing from her home country.

The publication of her novel Lajja sparked off a religious riot and warrants of her arrest were issued. Fundamentalists and convservative Muslim organisation issued a cash award for her death. She was forced to flee after protest increased and she took shelter in India. In between She has been staying in Sweden and applied for housing in Paris. She will be housed in an Artist's studio paid for by the city of Paris.

The Paris mayor's office says it has decided to provide exiled Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasrin with a rent-free apartment in the French capital.

A spokesman says the writer asked the city for help after being made an honorary citizen.

The spokesman, who asked not to be named in keeping with department policy, said Saturday that she will move into a former-convent-turned-artists' residence in February.

Nasrin left Bangladesh in 1994 after Islamic extremists accused her of insulting Islam in her writings and threatened to kill her. In March 2008 she moved to Sweden from India to seek medical assistance.

The spokesman says he doesn't know what motivated Nasrin to ask for a place to live and write in Paris.

In Stockholm, Maria Modig, a spokeswoman for Nasrin, declined to comment about Paris' decision, or to say whether the author was still in Sweden.

Nasrin did not immediately respond to an e-mail asking for her comment.