"Ka", claims Taslima, is an autobiography. But the way she has revealed her personal affairs with some of our renowned intellectuals and writers is highly objectionable. This novel is a bit pornographic in nature. With hardly credible stories, crude dialogues and erotic narration, she has acted out her own sexual fantasies. I don't know whether this novel has got any literary value, but it is an example of her moral degradation.

In literature, sexuality is accepted but it has its limits. Taslima Nasirn has exceeded all the limits. She only divulged some facts about herself . It is funny that she has stigmatized some people who always appreciated her and stood by her side during the worst days of her life. One of them has already filed a defamation case against her for the lurid story.

In a civil society, everybody has a private life and he/she has to maintain it. In our private and social life many things happen beyond our expectation and calculation. Is it necessary to divulge those in public?

I have been keenly following the various comments and reports published in the DS and other newspapers on the above subject. At the very outset, let me say that I am sill at ease with this kind of literary exercises

Having said that, I would like to state that the novel by Syed Shamsul Haque titled "Khelaram Khele Ja" was no less sleazy in its contents than what Taslima Nasreen has produced. The only difference is that she has mentioned Mr. Huq, one of our otherwise well-established literary figures, by name.

I have not gone through the entire contents of the book but whatever I could gather from the excerpts read out to me by some of my friends over phone, I understand that her book also contains similar remarks about a few other literary giants. Under the circumstances, I fail to understand why Mr. Huq alone filed the defamation suit.

On the other hand, while filing the case he did not hint at the stories narrated being false or fabricated. To me, it came as a shock and surprise when in an interview with the BBC he said, "Matters like these are also irreligious". It is indeed "heartening" to know that Mr. Huq has a keen understanding and appreciation of the core values and the philosophy of our religion.

As I understand, Taslima Nasreen is a persona- non-grata in Bangladesh . Therefore, she can neither come here nor "defend" her position. It thus stands to reason that Mr. Huq is has taken this path in order to "clear" his name of the controversy once and for all, and at the same time create a kind of tremor in society which may ultimately end up enhancing his own popularity.

Finally, I would like to point out, by way of inference that, not too long ago, it was the likes of Mr. Huq in our literary and cultural fields who not only eulogised her literary talent, but also came to her defence in the name of human rights and freedom of speech.

Shamsher Chowdhury, Dhaka