7 months ago
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Exiled Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasrin has asserted that she volition proceed to combat fundamentalism, extremism and intolerance and basal for freedom, equality and quality dignity.
Speaking aft receiving the beingness accomplishment grant instituted by Litmus 2025, a corporate of freethinkers and atheists, present connected Sunday, Ms. Nasrin said she had criticised each kinds of religions, patriarchal traditions, cultures, and customs portion supporting women’s rights.
“My disapproval is proportionate to the harm a religion inflicts. The much a religion violates quality rights, oppresses women, fosters intolerance, and spreads cruelty and barbarism, the much I volition situation it. I person ever stood beside the oppressed, whoever they are. I person defended Muslims whenever they were persecuted, conscionable arsenic I person defended Hindus oppressed successful Bangladesh oregon Christians oppressed successful Pakistan. To me, spiritual individuality is irrelevant. Human beings whitethorn judge oregon not believe—but nary 1 should beryllium oppressed for their content oregon non-belief,” she said.
According to her, nary state has ever go civilised without criticising the dogmatic practices of its religions. “Without separating authorities and religion, nary State oregon nine has ever go modern. Freedom of code and look indispensable see the close to differ, to offend arsenic good arsenic to praise—a information that astir radical successful galore countries neither cognize nor accept. Without the close to offend, state of look cannot exist. And without state of expression, ideology volition not work, she said.
“I person been warring each time against injustice and inequality—against spiritual coercion and superstition, bigotry and obscurantism. I person been warring for quality rights, women’s rights, state of expression, and humanism. I bash not fearfulness to archer the truth,” she said.
Ms Nasrin, who has been surviving successful exile for implicit 3 decades, said she was thrown retired of her state for the transgression of saying that spiritual scriptures were retired of clip and place.
“I person nary home. I americium a Bengali writer, but I person nary spot successful Bengal. Bangladesh expelled me, adjacent West Bengal threw maine retired for nary responsibility of mine,” she lamented.
However, Ms. Nasrin said she had a location successful the bosom of each rationalist, escaped thinker, secularist and humanist and their solidarity was her structure and their love, her country.
She received the prize from T.J. Joseph, whose manus was chopped disconnected by extremists.
