NEW DELHI– The Government of India has expressed deep concern over the reported demolition of the ancestral home of legendary filmmaker and author Satyajit Ray in Mymensingh, Bangladesh. In an official statement, India offered to assist in restoring the historic structure, which it described as a symbol of the shared cultural heritage between the two nations.
“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 writer Upendra Kishor Ray Chowdhury, is being demolished,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a press release.
The MEA noted that the property, currently under the ownership of the Government of Bangladesh, “is in a state of disrepair.” Given its cultural and literary significance, the ministry urged Bangladeshi authorities to reconsider the demolition and explore alternatives for restoring and preserving the site.
“Given the building’s landmark status, symbolizing the Bengali 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 ministry said. “The Government of India would be willing to extend cooperation for this purpose.”
The statement comes amid growing outrage in Bangladesh following reports that the century-old residence—located on Horikishore Ray Chowdhury Road in Mymensingh—is being torn down to make way for a semi-concrete facility to house a Shishu Academy (children’s center), according to local media.
Bangladeshi newspaper The Daily Star reported that the home once belonged to Upendra Kishor Ray Chowdhury, a towering figure in Bengali literature and the grandfather of Satyajit Ray. The demolition has drawn widespread protests from local residents and cultural figures, who argue that it threatens to erase an irreplaceable piece of the region’s literary and historical legacy.
Despite the backlash, local authorities have defended the move, stating that the demolition is being conducted with the necessary approvals and proper procedures.
Officials from Bangladesh’s Department of Archaeology acknowledged that the site qualifies as a cultural heritage property, but admitted that their repeated appeals to preserve the building have been ignored.
Satyajit Ray, widely regarded as one of the greatest filmmakers in the history of world cinema, has had a profound influence on global directors including Martin Scorsese, known for acclaimed works such as Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, The Departed, and Shutter Island. (Source: IANS)
