Taslima Nasreen's visa extended

Government has extended the visa of controversial Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasrin for six months till February 16 next year.

Nasreen, who was asked to leave India in March this year, returned here on August six and was whisked away to an undisclosed destination in the Capital.

The writer, who will turn 47 on August 25, had sought extension of her Indian visa which expires on August 17. Her visa has now been extended till February 16, 2010, official sources said.

The future plans of the doctor-turned writer, who shot to fame with her controversial book "Lajja", were not immediately known. But sources said she conveyed to Indian officials that she did not wish to live in India for a longer term now and will soon leave the country.

The writer, who has been a target of Islamic fundamentalists, arrived in Delhi from a European country.

She has been requesting for permanent residentship in the country but the government is yet to take a decision on it.

Taslima had left India on March 18 last year for Sweden after she was kept in an undisclosed house here for more than four months. Taslima, who had not been allowed to see any visitors during the period, had described her confinement as living in "a chamber of death".

She came back in February this year but was asked to leave India because of impending general elections in the country and visa was granted to her till August 17 . Earlier, she was dramatically bundled out from West Bengal in November 2007.