TASLIMA CAUGHT IN DIPLOMACY

Diplomacy has no sense of respect for a writer. In a strange way, it now connects Taslima Nasreen with Anup Chetia, a dreaded ULFA leader who has fled to Bangladesh, and has since been living in there.

India wants Anup back. And Bangladesh does not want Taslima, its bete-noire, to live in India. Now these two things have been linked. Deport Anup, or we would let Taslima live here, is the dangling message of the Indian government to Bangladesh.

But Anup enjoys the support of some human rights groups of Bangladesh, who fear that India would hang the political dissident in case he is deported. Interestingly, Dacca High Court also asks the Bangladesh Government why it would not give political asylum to Anup Chetia.

So it's knotty issue now. And there's little chance of Taslima getting citizenship or permanent resident permit any time soon.
MRINAL BOSE