Demolition of Satyajit Ray’s ancestral home in Bangladesh halted

The daily had reported on Tuesday that the ancestral home of eminent litterateur Upendra Kishore Ray Chowdhury, formerly used as the Mymensingh Shishu Academy, was being demolished to make way for a new “semi-concrete structure”. Chowdhury was the father of the celebrated poet, Sukumar Ray, and the grandfather of Satyajit Ray.

This had led the Indian government to suggest that Bangladesh “reconsider the demolition” and to volunteer to help in the repair and reconstruction of the property into a “museum of literature”.

“We note with profound regret that the ancestral property of noted filmmaker and litterateur Satyajit Ray in Mymensingh, Bangladesh, belonging to his grandfather and eminent litterateur, Upendra Kishor Ray Chowdhury, is being demolished. The property, presently owned by the Government of Bangladesh, is in a state of disrepair,” the Ministry of External Affairs had said.

“Given the building’s landmark status, symbolising Bangla cultural renaissance, it would be preferable to reconsider the demolition and examine options for its repair and reconstruction as a museum of literature and a symbol of the shared culture of India and Bangladesh. The Government of India would be willing to extend cooperation for this purpose,” the MEA had said in a statement.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had also urged the Indian government to intervene in the issue and appealed to the Bangladeshi government and “to all right-thinking people of that country to preserve this edifice of rich tradition”.

The century-old house in Mymensingh is linked to the legacy of the illustrious Ray family, whose contributions to Bangla literature and arts are considered foundational. The house had reportedly fallen into disrepair after years of neglect.