Bengali writer Taslima Nasreen. Photo: Twitter Bengali writer Taslima Nasreen. Photo: Twitter

The telecast of a Bengali TV serial scripted by controversial Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen has been deferred indefinitely, reportedly on the orders of Kolkata Police, after some Muslim groups complained the show Dusahobas would hurt religious sentiments.

Producers of the show, to be telecast on Aakash Aath channel on Thursday night, were warned that if the show went on air, an FIR would be lodged against them.



There have been though no written orders from the police to stall the telecast.



In a Facebook message to its viewers on Thursday, the producers of Dusahobas as such remained ambiguous: "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."



A furious Taslima attacked the Mamata Banrejee-led West Bengal government and the religious groups calling them "fatwabaaz fanatics".

A shot of Bengali TV serial Dusahobas written by Taslima Nasreen. Photo: Facebook A shot of Bengali TV serial Dusahobas written by Taslima Nasreen. Photo: Facebook

&; taslima nasreen (@taslimanasreen) December 18, 2013

Internet Muslims r harassing me,showing solidarity towards W Bengal's anti-women anti-free speech fatwabaaz fanatics who banned my TV serial December 18, 2013

A shot of TV serial Dusahobas. Photo: Facebook A shot of TV serial Dusahobas. Photo: Facebook

A shot of TV serial Dusahobas. Photo: Facebook A shot of TV serial Dusahobas. Photo: Facebook

Here are some of her tweets:"Unbelievable! WB Govt banned my upcoming megaserial abt women's rights bcz some Muslim fanatics objected. I feel like Im livng in Saudi Arabia.""To protect the bullshit 'sentiments' of Muslims, govts are taking actions against honest writers and artists, banning & censoring their works.""Internet Muslims r harassing me, showing solidarity towards W Bengal's anti-women anti-free speech fatwabaaz fanatics who banned my TV serial.""The serial was not abt Muslims/Islam, was abt women's struggle RT @surips3 had u done anything against Hinduism, surely it'll be aired & lauded."Poet and lyricist Javed Akhtar reacted to the news asking Taslima: "Some one has tweeted that any serial written by you is banned. If it is true, on what grounds?"Unbelievable!WB Govt banned my upcoming megaserial abt women's rights bcz some Muslim fanatics objected.I feel like Im livng in Saudi ArabiaThe serial, Dusahobas (Unbearable Cohabitation), according to Taslima, is about women's rights and portrays strong women characters.The serial's tagline is: "Do I have to bear everything because I'm a woman?"The person leading the protest against the serial is the imam of a mosque in Kolkata.Shahi Imam of Tipu Sultan Mosque Maulana Nurur Rahman Barkati said the serial's script could hurt the "sentiments of the community".Milli Ittehad Parishad, an umbrella body of Muslim organsiations in Kolkata, earlier met the producer of the show Eshita Surana and owner of the channel Ashok Surana asking them to stop the telecast.The delegation alleged that Taslima was asked to write the serial for "cheap publicity and higher TRPs".A fatwa was issued against Taslima in 1993 for her novel Lajja and she had to leave Bangladesh. She had settled in Kolkata but was forced to leave the city in 2007 after protests. She is currently based in New Delhi.The serial began creating controversy as its advertisements began, which said "Taslima is returning to Kolkata", referring to her serial.West Bengal Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim on Wednesday said at a function said there was no place for a woman in the state who hurts sentiments of Muslims.Expecting trouble, the serial's promos had started carrying messages such as: "The writer of this serial is not coming to Kolkata. It is not the aim of the serial to disrespect any community or any religion."The clarifications, it seems, went unheard.