Bangla Press Desk: Nobel laureate economist Amartya Sen has expressed grave concern over rising linguistic intolerance in parts of India, particularly targeting Bangla-speaking individuals who are often suspected of being undocumented Bangladeshi immigrants.
Addressing a public discussion in Kolkata on Friday, the 91-year-old Nobel laureate made a pointed remark, saying: “There remains a possibility that I might be sent back to Bangladesh because my ancestral home is in Dhaka. And I do not have much objection to that.”
Sen, who was born in Santiniketan and has deep familial ties to Dhaka, made the jibe in reference to recent media reports about Bangla-speaking individuals allegedly being deported or harassed under suspicion of being illegal immigrants.
“I saw in the newspaper that someone was sent to Bangladesh because he was speaking in Bengali. It made me a bit worried,” he said.
Responding to media questions on the issue, Sen strongly defended India’s pluralistic traditions and the value of cultural diversity. “Every identity—be it Bengali or Punjabi—has its own significance and should be respected,” he said.
‘I too might be sent back to Bangladesh’
Banglapress
Published: 23 September 2025, 10:26 AM
Bangla Press Desk: Nobel laureate economist Amartya Sen has expressed grave concern over rising linguistic intolerance in parts of India, particularly targeting Bangla-speaking individuals who are often suspected of being undocumented Bangladeshi immigrants.
Addressing a public discussion in Kolkata on Friday, the 91-year-old Nobel laureate made a pointed remark, saying: “There remains a possibility that I might be sent back to Bangladesh because my ancestral home is in Dhaka. And I do not have much objection to that.”
Sen, who was born in Santiniketan and has deep familial ties to Dhaka, made the jibe in reference to recent media reports about Bangla-speaking individuals allegedly being deported or harassed under suspicion of being illegal immigrants.
“I saw in the newspaper that someone was sent to Bangladesh because he was speaking in Bengali. It made me a bit worried,” he said.
Responding to media questions on the issue, Sen strongly defended India’s pluralistic traditions and the value of cultural diversity. “Every identity—be it Bengali or Punjabi—has its own significance and should be respected,” he said.
[Bangla Press is a global platform for free thought. It provides impartial news, analysis, and commentary for independent-minded individuals. Our goal is to bring about positive change, which is more important today than ever before.]
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