Educational Media Reviews Online

“I don’t know about feminism, but if I know about the pain of one little girl, one small village and one small country, that’s enough.” Taslima Nasrin, a Bangladeshi (of Bangladesh, a predominantly Muslim country), was “thrown out” of her country because she wrote about the atrocities and oppression against women by her religion - Islam. The price of her freedom to write and speak her mind was exile from her country, the only place she knew. In 26 minutes, this film takes one through a brave but heart-wrenching story of betrayal and fear that Taslima’s own people, country and religion unleashed against her. Narrated by Rachel Ward, including clips from Taslima ‘s interview, this film weaves the story of Taslima’s belief in herself, her ideas, her need to help and speak up for those oppressed, and her immense courage to continue to be who she is as a writer and poet against insurmountable odds.

Taslima started writing at the age of 12. The loneliness of being a girl in a Bengali Muslim family and her longing to play outside like her brothers transformed into poetry. Her first poem was titled “Free Bird.” She was fortunate to be born in a middle-class privileged family in one of the poorest countries of the world, but unfortunate to be born a girl. As a child, Taslima read the Koran without understanding much of it until she came across her mother’s Bengali translation of it. She realized then the discrimination against women clearly portrayed in the most sacred book written by God. Her father was a professor of forensics and a doctor. “He was like a God at home. Everybody was afraid of him, including my mother.” Her brothers (more privileged as boys) were expected to become doctors like her father but failed to follow in his footsteps. Taslima (a girl - a sign of “bad luck”) on the other hand, became a doctor and served in a government hospital. Becoming a doctor brought her closer to the problems of women in her society and this experience gave her further proof of the status of women in her country.

As a doctor, she saw first hand, the pain and suffering especially of women in her society due to Islam’s conservative religious code. Her perspective on life changed. She started writing and publishing about “controversial” issues (instead of the beauty of life), especially, against the tyranny of religious custom on women. Her publications became very popular and she was considered a radical feminist speaking for the rights of women. Her book called “Lajja” (Shame) about the persecution of a Hindu family by Muslims created much controversy and protests in Bangladesh. However, she became internationally famous only when a Fatwa (demanding her execution by hanging) was issued against her by protesting Muslim clerics and believers. The reason for the outrage was a statement made by Taslima at an influential Indian newspaper interview. The paper stated that according to Taslima a complete revision of the Koran was due. A clarification about this statement was later made by the editorial, but the damage was done. Riots broke out on the streets of Bangladesh demanding Taslima’s execution. On June 4th 1994, the government of Bangladesh issued a warrant for her arrest. She at once went into hiding. She was moved from house to house in darkness and her whole family was in danger. She recalls those days as “the sixty days of darkness,” which were days of staying quiet, days without food, in the dark, and in hiding. Meanwhile, international pressure continued to mount. The government of Bangladesh forced externally by international organizations and internally by riots and protests on the street had to make a decision. On August 3rd 1994, Taslima went to the court and the decision to throw her out of Bangladesh was made. She was sent to Sweden and was taken care of by the writer’s organization PEN. She became an instant celebrity and spoke at several international gatherings and conferences presenting her views about religious oppression of women not only in Islam, but other religions as well, and advocating the rights and equality for women everywhere. In 1998, she slipped back into Bangladesh to see her mother who was dying from cancer. More protests against her during this visit made her surrender herself (soon after her mother’s death) to the government only to be exiled again. She is currently in exile and resides in Sweden.

The film effectively captures Taslima’s message to the world. Her calm and controlled facial expressions contrast with her writings, which reveal the immense turmoil and upheaval of emotions, sadness, betrayal and hurt. The film compellingly recreates scenes from Taslima’s childhood as a Muslim girl, scenes of silent but suffering women, and protests by men on the streets, interspersed with pieces of her searing poetry. It reveals the strength of Taslima’s character, her sacrifice, her pain of separation from family and the great determination and courage with which she presses forward with her belief that she could make a difference in this world through her writing.