Exiled Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen ends Kolkata visit on Wednesday
Exiled Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen just wrapped up her first visit to Kolkata in nearly two decades.
She left the city on Wednesday, sharing how much she missed it and calling her stay deeply moving and full of "beautiful memories."
While she wishes she could return to Bangladesh, passport and visa issues are keeping her away for now.
Still, she's hopeful about coming back to Kolkata later this year or early next.
Nasreen visit sparks free speech debate
Nasreen's trip brought up big conversations around free speech and secularism, especially since she originally had to leave Kolkata after protests over one of her books.
Some called her return a win for freedom of expression, while others criticized the state government's handling of free speech.
Through it all, event organizers stood by their support for open dialogue, and Nasreen says she's looking forward to the Kolkata Book Fair.