Taslima Nasrin’s madrasas remarks trigger controversy in India

Bangladeshi author and activist Taslima Nasrin spoke at the Bangla Academy in Kolkata, claiming that some madrasas function as “factories for producing jihadis” and alleging child abuse and lack of government oversight. She urged that madrasas be brought under regulation or converted into secular schools and voiced support for a Uniform Civil Code.

The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) condemned Nasrin’s statements as inflammatory, factually baseless and harmful to communal harmony. Spokesperson S. Q. R. Ilyas called for government action to prevent foreign individuals from interfering in India’s internal affairs and warned that such remarks could strain India‑Bangladesh relations.