Indian govt extends Taslima Nasreen's visa by six months

Nasreen, 44, who has been staying in Kolkata, had applied for extension of her visa, which was due to expire yesterday, sources in Indian home ministry said.

They said the West Bengal government had forwarded to the Centre the writer's appeal to extend her resident permit as she wanted to continue her stay in Kolkata.

Nasreen had applied for an Indian tourist visa last year. She had got an Indian visa for one year and permission to stay in Kolkata.

The West Bengal government had banned her autobiographical book 'Dwikhondito' (Split in two), but it was lifted after she won a court battle over it.

Nasreen, who has been living in exile for 12 years, had first moved to Sweden after she drew the wrath of fundamentalists in Bangladesh for her book 'Lajja' (Shame) in 1993.

Recently, she has been living in Kolkata, a city she describes as closest to her home.