Exiled Bangladeshi author and activist Taslima Nasreen arrived in Kolkata on Friday after nearly 19 years, marking her first visit to the city since she was forced to leave in 2007 following violent protests over her writings.She arrived at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport amid heavy security and, as per media reports, is scheduled to attend a public event organised by Human Rights Beyond Frontiers and other organisations.Born in Mymensingh, Bangladesh, in 1962, Nasreen is a physician-turned-writer whose novels, essays and memoirs have focused on women’s rights, secularism, freedom of expression and criticism of religious fundamentalism.She shot to international prominence after the publication of her novel Lajja (Shame) in 1993, which highlighted the persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh in the aftermath of the Babri Masjid demolition.The book was banned in Bangladesh, and death threats from Islamist groups forced her to flee the country in 1994. Since then, she has lived in exile in several countries, including India, Europe and the United States.Nasreen moved to Kolkata in 2004 after receiving a temporary residence permit from the Government of India and often described the city as her “second home” because of its shared Bengali language and culture.However, controversy surrounding her autobiographical work Dwikhandito (Split: A Life), which drew strong objections from some Muslim organisations, intensified over the years.In November 2007, violent protests and clashes erupted in Kolkata, leading to a law-and-order crisis.The then Left Front government shifted her out of the city, stating that it could no longer guarantee her safety. She was subsequently moved to Jaipur and later left India for Europe before eventually returning to India under a long-term visa.Although no formal legal ban was imposed on her entry into West Bengal, Nasreen has repeatedly said successive state governments did not facilitate her return or permit her to participate in literary events in Kolkata.She has maintained that she wished to settle in the city permanently because of her cultural and linguistic ties with Bengal.Reacting to her arrival, BJP MLA Saurav Sikdar said where Nasreen chose to stay was “her call”, adding that she was legally residing in India with the permission of the Union Government.“Where Taslima Nasreen will stay is her call. She is legally staying in India, and the Government of India has given her permission to stay,” he said.Sikdar also said Human Rights Beyond Frontiers had invited the writer to Kolkata and alleged that she had earlier been unable to visit the state because of “appeasement politics.”BJP leader Keya Ghosh said Nasreen’s return reflected the party’s commitment to freedom of expression. She alleged that previous governments in West Bengal had prevented the writer from returning for political reasons while asserting that the BJP had welcomed her visit.A two-time recipient of the prestigious Ananda Puraskar in 1992 and 2000, Nasreen remains one of South Asia’s best-known and most controversial literary figures.