7th part of Taslima's autobiography released despite protests

The seventh part of controversial author Taslima Nasreen's autobiography, 'Nirbasan' (Exile), was today released outside its scheduled venue at the Kolkata Book Fair as a mark of protest, after the organisers refused to go ahead with it following 'protests by fundamentalists'.

"Kolkata Book Fair committee cancelled my book release program today at Kolkata Book Fair. Why? Some religious fanatics don't want it to happen," tweeted Taslima who was not present.

Sudhangshu De, Secretary of the Publishers and Booksellers' Guild, the organisers of the book fair told PTI that the publisher's booking at the auditorium in the fair grounds was cancelled "fearing a law and order problem during the book release."

Earlier, the Guild asked the publisher not to release the book after protests were reported from fundamentalists.

Taslima's publisher, People's Book Society (PBS), thereafter released the autobiography outside the auditorium as a mark of protest.

"Kolkata, a city of progressive! A book release even w/o my presence not possible! All poltcial parties, all orgs afraid of fanatics! But how long," the Bangladeshi author said on Twitter.

"They banned me, a writer, a person. They do not need to know the content of the book," she tweeted.