Bangladesh Begins Demolition of Satyajit Ray’s Ancestral Home: India Regrets Action, Offers Support for Restoration
Bangladesh has begun the domolition of Satyajit Ray’s ancestral home in Mymensingh. India has urged against the action and extended an offer to assist with its restoration. The historic residence, once owned by Ray’s grandfather and celebrated writer, painter and entrepreneur Upendra Kishor Ray Chowdhury, stood on Harikishore Ray Chowdhury Road and had remained abandoned for around a decade, according to reports. The property, viewed as a symbol of Bengal’s cultural renaissance, had previously served as the Mymensingh Shishu Academy before falling into disuse.
In a statement on Tuesday, India’s Ministry of External Affairs described the demolition as “regrettable” and urged Bangladesh to reconsider. “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 ministry said. “The Government of India would be willing to extend cooperation for this purpose,” the statement added.
The building, which came under government ownership following the 1947 Partition, was transformed into a children’s academy in 1989. However, its condition had deteriorated significantly in recent years. Md Mehedi Zaman, District Children Affairs Officer, told The Daily Star, “The house has been left abandoned for 10 years. Shishu Academy activities have been operating from a rented space.”
In response to the demolition, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also voiced its regret. Amit Malviya, head of the BJP’s National Information & Technology Department, criticized the decision on social media, calling it an “erasure of history.”
“Another blow to Bengali heritage — Satyajit Ray’s ancestral home demolished in Bangladesh. This isn’t just the destruction of an old structure — it is the erasure of history itself. The very soil that nurtured one of the world’s greatest cinematic legends is now reduced to rubble. Shouldn’t the Bangladesh government have taken responsibility to preserve a site of such immense historical and cultural value?” he posted on X.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee echoed similar sentiments, describing the development as “extremely distressing” and emphasizing the building’s cultural significance to Bengal. She also appealed to the Indian government for intervention. India’s renewed offer to aid in the preservation of this historic site underscores its commitment to cultural heritage and the shared legacy between India and Bangladesh.