The Indian government has urged Bangladesh’s interim administration to halt the demolition of legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray’s ancestral home in the Mymensingh district, offering assistance in preserving the structure and converting it into a museum.
The request was made through the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) following concerns raised by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who appealed for immediate intervention to save the heritage property.
Issuing a statement on Tuesday, the MEA cited at the cultural and historical significance of the building, once home to Ray’s grandfather, the 19th-century Bengali literary icon and publisher Upendrakishore Ray Chowdhury.
“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 MEA said.
Located on Harikishor Roychowdhury Road in Mymensingh, the building was once a hub of intellectual and creative life, occupied by a family that helped shape the Bengali renaissance. Upendrakishore was the father of Sukumar Ray, famed for his nonsense verse, and grandfather of Satyajit Ray, one of world cinema’s most celebrated directors.
Highlighting the shared legacy, the MEA 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 demolition of the house sparked widespread dismay, particularly after visuals of partial razing began circulating on social media. Responding swiftly, Mamata Banerjee posted her protest online.
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“I have come to know from the news published in the media that the demolition of the ancestral house of Upendra Kishore Roy Chowdhury, a pioneer of literature and children's literature, has begun in Mymensingh, Bangladesh. This news is very sad. Upendra Kishore was a pillar of the Bengali renaissance. Therefore, I think that this house is inextricably linked with the cultural history of Bengal,” she wrote on X.
She called on both the Union and Bangladesh governments to act promptly and preserve the building, which she termed a “traditional house” vital to Bengal’s literary and cultural fabric.
The episode comes close on the heels of other heritage-related incidents in Bangladesh. Just last month, a section of Rabindranath Tagore’s ancestral property was vandalised, drawing strong condemnation from scholars and cultural bodies across the subcontinent.
These incidents have raised fresh concerns over the state of heritage preservation since the formation of Bangladesh’s interim government under Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, following the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s regime earlier this year.
While diplomatic channels remain active, cultural historians and heritage activists in both countries have voiced hope that the site will be safeguarded, and not fall victim to political instability or neglect.
The proposed transformation of the residence into a museum dedicated to Bengali literature and shared Indo-Bangladeshi heritage has also gained traction, with several quarters stressing the need for bilateral cooperation in protecting cultural icons.
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