Taslima Nasreen's Indian visa extended by a year

The Indian government on Tuesday extended the visa of self-exiled Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen by another year.

The 55-year-old, who is now also a citizen of Sweden, had received a one-year extension on her visa in 2016 as well. Her Indian visa has been extended continuously since 2004.

"Tasleema Nasreen's visa has been extended for a year with effect from July 23 following her request," a Home Ministry official told IANS.

Nasreen has been living in India since she left Bangladesh in a cloak of secrecy in 1994 in the wake of threats to her by fundamentalists who objected to "obscene content" in one of her books. She has also stayed in the US and Europe in the last two decades.

Nasreen has also applied for permanent residency in India but no decision has been taken on it by the Home Ministry.

The writer has expressed a desire to live in India, especially in West Bengal, citing the cultural and linguistic similarities and the state's proximity with Bangladesh. She was forced to leave Kolkata in 2007 following street protests by a section of Muslims.

--IANS

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