Taslima leaves for US, may return in January

After a 20-day sojourn in India mainly to get extend her visa, controversial Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasrin flew to the United States on Thursday. The Bangladeshi writer, who has been a target of Islamic fundamentalists, was escorted to the Indira Gandhi International airport amidst tight security. She had celebrated her 47th birthday on August 25, with some of her close friends at an undisclosed location in the national capital.

Taslima, who has been granted visa till February 16, 2010, took a flight for the US in the wee hours to complete her fellowship at Pennsylvania-based Woodrow Wilson International Centre for Scholars. Taslima, who had arrived on August 6, for an extension of her visa which was due to expire on August 17,

had earlier said she may come back in January next for "permanent stay" after completeing her fellowship.

Taslima had left India on March 18, 2008 for Swedeen. On her return, she was kept at an undisclosed location in the national capital for more than four months for security reasons. Taslima, who had not been allowed to see any visitors during her stay in India this time, had described her confinement as living in "a chamber of death". She had come in February earlier this year but was asked to leave immediately after visa was granted to her till August 17 because of the general elections in the country.