Taslima Nasreen returns to Kolkata as Bangladesh High Court grants bail to Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das

Bangladeshi author and activist Taslima Nasreen returned to Kolkata after nearly two decades, thanking West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari and praising the BJP‑led Indian government for supporting freedom of speech. She contrasted the current administration with previous Left Front and Trinamool governments, and urged the implementation of a Uniform Civil Code in India, Bangladesh and Pakistan to end discrimination against women.

Nasreen also condemned the "illegal arrest" of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das, a former ISKCON leader and spokesperson for the Bangladesh Sammilit Sanatani Jagran Jote. The Bangladesh High Court granted him bail in two of the four criminal cases – involving attempted murder, vandalism and obstruction of government duties – while his release remains uncertain due to four other pending cases.

In the wake of Nasreen’s event, Bengali poet Joy Goswami alleged a "threat culture" within literary circles, claiming intimidation of participants. The combined developments highlight ongoing tensions over minority rights, free expression and political dissent in Bangladesh and India.