Bangladesh is now occupied by Jamaat-e-Islami jihadi and militant groups: Taslima Nasreen

She said these groups are destroying the history of the South Asian nation.

While attending an event to mark the completion of 100 years of the Siddhibala Bose Library in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, she told ANI news agency: "I think that the country is now occupied by the Jamaat-e-Islami jihadi and militant groups and they have been destroying the history of Bangladesh."

"They destroyed the sculptures of all freedom fighters, and they destroyed the museums of the liberation war in 1971," she said.

"They destroyed the house of the father of the nation, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. And also, whoever was involved in the Awami league party, they were either killed or they’re imprisoned," the exiled writer said.

Nasreen, who currently stays in India for years, has been a critic of religious extremism.

She said the interim government is comprised of extremist elements.

"That is why all the statues of the country are falling apart. Hindus are being persecuted. The free thinkers are being persecuted. So we want the complete destruction of this government to go away. It can happen only if the people there want change," the writer said.

Nasreen voices against religion-based politics

She said Bangladesh does not need Jama’at-e-Islami since it is religion-based politics and it should be banned.

"We don’t need religion-based politics. It is very harmful for society. So we need separation, strict separation between state and religion," she said.

The ban on the outfit, which was imposed during ousted PM Sheikh Hasina's regime, was revoked by Muhammad Yunus-led current interim government after it came to power following the fall of Awami League administration on August 5, 2024.

Dhaka Book Fair Attack

A group of madrasa students last month attacked a stall at the ongoing Amar Ekushey Boi Mela (book fair) in Bangladesh's capital Dhaka, for displaying a book written by exiled writer Taslima Nasreen.

The incident took place around 6:15pm at the stall of Sabyasachi Publication in the Suhrawardy Udyan.

In the same month, a mob vandalised and set ablaze the residence of Bangladesh's founding leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the father of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in Dhaka.