Women are oppressed in the east, in the west, in the south, in the north. Women are oppressed inside, outside home, a woman is oppressed in religion, she is oppressed outside religion.

I support the rights of all people to practice their religious beliefs privately, but I oppose the idea of respecting religions. In truth, I have no respect for any religion. I believe religion is not compatible with human rights, women's rights, or freedom of expression.

I studied in a medical college and qualified myself as a medical graduate.

I am an atheist. I do not believe in prayers, I believe in work. And my work is that of an author. My pen is my weapon.

I want to live in Kolkata; I don't want to live in Europe - I can't write there. I write in Bengali, and I need to be surrounded by the Bengali language and culture.

I have been writing poetry since 1975. My first poetry book was published in 1986.

Governmental defense of any theology necessarily weakens the legitimacy of both the government and the theology.