The death of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia has ignited a complex mix of national mourning and personal reflection, particularly for exiled writer Taslima Nasreen. The author, living in exile for 31 years, is now questioning whether the bans on her books and her long-standing expulsion from her homeland might finally be rescinded.
A Writer's Reflection on a Political Rival's Passing
Reflecting on the passing of the three-time premier, Taslima Nasreen offered a somber yet pointed commentary. She noted that Khaleda Zia, who died at 80 years old on December 30 in Dhaka after a prolonged illness, lived a largely successful and long life. "She lived a successful life—a long life. Sheikh Hasina kept her in jail for two years; apart from that period, I don’t think she suffered much after 1981," Nasreen stated.
Her central query, however, revolves around the legacy of censorship. "I am thinking: with her death, will the bans on the books she had banned not be lifted?" she asked. Nasreen detailed a history of proscriptions under Khaleda Zia's governments: her controversial novel Lajja was banned in 1993, followed by Utal Hawa in 2002, Ka in 2003, and Those Dark Days in 2004.
The Lingering Pain of Exile and Censorship
The author, expelled during Khaleda Zia's tenure in the 1990s, directly linked the former leader to her prolonged absence from Bangladesh. "She unjustly expelled me from my own country. During her rule, she did not allow me to return home," Nasreen asserted. She expressed a bleak hope that justice might be served posthumously, stating, "While she was alive, she did not stand up for freedom of expression by lifting the bans on those books. If her death now ends up protecting freedom of expression, so be it."
Her poignant question underscores a deep-seated yearning for closure: "Will her death bring an end to my 31-year sentence of exile? Or will unjust rulers continue to carry injustice, ruler after ruler, generation after generation?"
State Funeral and National Mourning Declared
Meanwhile, Bangladesh has begun formal observances for the former prime minister. Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus announced a three-day state mourning period and a one-day general holiday. Her funeral prayers (Namaz-e-Janaza) are scheduled to be held after Zohr prayers on Wednesday, December 31, at the Parliament's South Plaza and Manik Mia Avenue in Dhaka.
Following the funeral, Khaleda Zia will be buried with full state honours beside her husband, the late president Ziaur Rahman, at Zia Udyan in the Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area of the capital. As the nation prepares to bid farewell to a pivotal political figure, the questions raised by Taslima Nasreen highlight the enduring and often painful intersections of politics, freedom, and personal destiny.
