Bangladesh demolishes filmmaker Satyajit Ray's ancestral house; son Sandip weighs in
On Wednesday, Abhishek demanded that the Government of India should talk to the Bangladesh Government regarding the preservation of the family home of the Ray family, which has made an incomparable contribution to Bengali culture.
This news first came to light in reports by Bangladeshi newspapers The Daily Star and Prothom Alo. According to those reports, the house on Harikishor Ray Road in the district's headquarters was used as the Mymensingh Shishu Academy. However, the house had remained unused since 2007, a report published in Prothom Alo claimed.
The Shishu Academy has starting work on a plan to demolish the abandoned house and construct a multi-storied building. The Shishu Academy had started using the building in 1989 during the time of the then military ruler of Bangladesh Hussain Mohammad Ershad.
Abhishek wrote on his X handle: "I am deeply distressed to learn that the ancestral home of Oscar-winning filmmaker Satyajit Ray in Dhaka is reportedly being demolished by the Bangladeshi authorities. This century-old property belonged to Ray's grandfather, Upendrakishore Ray Chowdhury, a towering figure in Bengali literature and culture." Abhishek also appealed to the Bangladesh government to preserve the property.
He also wrote, "I also call upon the Government of India to initiate appropriate bilateral engagement to ensure that this irreplaceable piece of Bengal's cultural history is not lost to demolition."
In a post on X on Tuesday, Mamata Banerjee had said, "News reports reveal that in Bangladesh's Mymensingh city, the ancestral home of Satyajit Ray's grandfather, the renowned writer-editor Upendrakishore Ray Chowdhury, steeped in his memories, is reportedly being demolished. It is said that the demolition work had already begun. This news is extremely distressing."
Stating that the Ray family is one of the foremost bearers and carriers of Bengali culture, she had said Upendrakishore is a pillar of Bengal's renaissance.
"Therefore, I believe this house is intricately tied to the cultural history of Bengal. I appeal to the Bangladesh government and all the conscientious people of that country to take steps to preserve this heritage house. The Indian government should pay attention to this matter," the post added.
New Delhi reacted to this issue on Tuesday night. Issuing a statement, the Centre said that the property, presently owned by the Government of Bangladesh, is in a state of disrepair.
"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 statement added.
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