A review by bookpup
Lajja: Shame by Taslima Nasrin

I can clearly see why this book is banned in Bangladesh. No country wants their faults shown. They don't want to face the reality. But that is what this is. Hindus across Bangladesh were killed (strike) massacred. Their houses looted, the women raped and the men beaten to an inch of their life. Isn't the country theirs as well? They weren't the ones who even burned down that mosque. What a stupid reason. Like I understand being upset that a mosque was burnt but going so far as to kill /harm the Hindus in your own country who weren't even involved in that? They are your own neighbors. The people who helped you in trouble. Why don't people understand that?

I hated Suronjon. Throughout the book, I sympathised a bit with him. After all it's hard to survive in a dog eat dog world. Especially when the whole world seems against you because of your religion. But his actions at the end of the book ruined the characters for me. Rape. Is. Not. The. Solution. To. Your. Problems. How dare you?? She was as innocent as anyone. Eff you.

I feel that the government of Bangladesh failed its citizens. Where is the secularism you promised? The equality? They need to apologize. And soon.

Since I feel like this is a very important read, I won't be rating it.