State of free speech: Taslima Nasreen-scripted TV serial Dusahobas' telecast deferred after Muslim groups object

Producers of a Bengali TV serial written by Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen have decided not to telecast it after objections from Muslim groups that claim the show, set to start from Thursday, will hurt religious sentiments.
West Bengal Police too has reportedly told the serial's producers to defer the telecast on Aakash Aath channel.
In a Facebook message to its viewers on Thursday, the producers of Dusahobas said: "Although Aakash Aath is willing and is ready to commence the telecast of Dusahobas but due to reasons beyond the purview and control of Aakash Aath we may be forced to defer the telecast of this serial indefinitely. Kindly bear with us and keep watching this page for further updates on this serial."

The message was posted on the Facebook page dedicated to the serial, which has been courting controversy for some time now.
Dusahobas, according to Taslima, is about women's rights and portrays strong women characters.
The writer, who lives in Delhi, in a tweet too confirmed that her serial has been banned.


As many as 22 organisations had opposed the telecast of Dusahobas. Shahi Imam of the Tipu Sultan Mosque in Kolkata, Maulana Nurur Rahman Barkati, said the script could "hurt the sentiments of the community".
The channel contended that the serial was based on "women's empowerment and had nothing to do with any religion or community whatsoever".
Milli Ittehad Parishad, an umbrella body of Muslim organsiations in Kolkata, earlier met the producers of the show asking them to stop the telecast. Ashok Surana, proprietor of the channel and his daughter Eshita Surana, who produced the show, were present at the meeting.
The delegation said Taslima was asked to write the serial for cheap publicity and higher TRPs. Dusahobas in English means unbearable cohabitation. A fatwa was issued against Taslima in 1993 for her novel Lajja and she had to leave Bangladesh.

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