Latest news with #Bangla
The Hindu
8 hours ago
- General
- The Hindu
'No association' with Satyajit Ray: Bangladesh on house in Mymensingh that is being demolished
Bangladesh on Thursday (July 17, 2025) said that a house in Mymensingh district that is being demolished due to "dilapidated, risky and unusable" structure has "no association" with eminent filmmaker and author Satyajit Ray. India on Tuesday (July 15, 2025) called on Bangladesh to reconsider its decision to demolish the ancestral property of Satyajit Ray and offered help to preserve the iconic building as it symbolises Bangla cultural "renaissance". In a statement issued on Thursday, Bangladesh's Foreign Ministry said a "detailed inquiry into the archival records re-confirmed that the house in question never had any relation with the ancestors of Satyajit Ray". India had urged Bangladesh to convert the "landmark" building into a museum symbolising the shared culture of the two countries and pledged to extend cooperation for it. Bangladesh's Foreign Ministry said the house was built by local Zamindar Shashikant Acharya Chowdhury next to his bungalow for his employees. Upon the abolition of the zamindari system, it came under the control of the government, which allocated it to the 'Shishu Academy, it said. "The district authorities have reviewed the land records related to the house and confirmed that, as per the past records, the land belongs to the Government and has no association with the Ray family whatsoever," the statement said. It added that local senior citizens and individuals also said that "there is no known historical connection between the Ray family and the house and land currently leased to the Shishu Academy. The house is not listed as an archaeological monument, either". However, the road in front of the house, 'Harikishore Ray Road', is named after Satyajit Ray's great-grandfather Harikishore Ray, the statement said, adding that the Ray family had a house on Harikishore Ray Road, which they had sold long ago and thus no longer exists. "A multi-storied building was constructed there by the new owner. The building that is now being demolished was dilapidated, risky and unusable," it added. "Since 2014, the Academy had shifted to a rented property elsewhere in Mymensingh city, and the abandoned house became a den for unlawful activities by local anti-social elements. Hence, an initiative was taken to construct a semi-permanent building at the site in the first half of 2024," the Ministry said. It said that during a meeting of senior citizens, literary and cultural personalities, journalists and local community members on Wednesday, eminent writer Kangal Shahin said that the building does not belong to Hari Kishore Ray or Satyajit Ray. "All attendees were in unequivocal agreement that the abandoned building of the Bangladesh Shishu Academy has no historical or familial ties with Satyajit Ray or his family. In this regard, Swapan Dhar, an archaeology researcher from Mymensingh, also stated that the house in question is not the ancestral home of Satyajit Ray," it added.
The Print
9 hours ago
- Politics
- The Print
Day after India's appeal to reconsider demolition, Yunus govt denies Satyajit Ray link to Bangladesh bldg
Meanwhile, according to a report by The Daily Star , the demolition of the building was halted, based on Mymensingh city deputy commissioner's orders. 'The house in question never had any relation with the ancestors of the esteemed laureate Satyajit Ray,' Bangladesh's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Thursday in a statement. New Delhi: A day after India suggested to Bangladesh to 'reconsider' demolishing the purported ancestral home of legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray in Mymensingh, Bangladeshi authorities Thursday denied any historical connection between the Ray family and the property, even as the demolition was reportedly halted following 'public outcry'. Local reports this week had indicated that the ancestral home of Ray's grandfather and writer-painter Upendrakishore Ray Chowdhury in Mymensingh city in Bangladesh was being demolished. This sparked sharp criticism, with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee calling the move 'extremely distressing' and appealing to both governments to protect what she described as a vital piece of shared cultural heritage. On Wednesday, India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) expressed 'profound regret' over the demolition reports. In a statement, the ministry noted the building's 'landmark status, symbolising Bangla cultural renaissance', and urged Bangladesh to 'reconsider' the demolition. '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 statement read. 'India would be willing to extend full cooperation toward preserving the structure as a museum of literature and shared cultural values.' In response, the Bangladesh interim administration led by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus clarified Thursday, 'Detailed inquiry into the archival records re-confirmed that the house in question never had any relation with the ancestors of the esteemed laureate Satyajit Ray.' Detailed inquiry into archive/records in #Bangladesh reconfirm: the building being demolished in #Mymensingh district has no historical/familial link to iconic Bengali filmmaker #Satyajit Ray or his ancestors. — Ministry of Foreign Affairs (@BDMOFA) July 17, 2025 The country's foreign ministry elaborated that land records and archival documents show the property was originally built by local zamindar Shashikant Acharya Chowdhury as staff quarters adjacent to his estate, Shashi Lodge. Following the abolition of the zamindari system, the building was nationalised, and later leased to the Bangladesh Shishu Academy. For decades, it served as the District Shishu Academy's office, with the land formally categorised as government-owned (khas) property. The statement added that consultations with local historians, senior citizens and writers brought out no evidence of the Ray family's association with the structure, and that the building is not even listed as a protected archaeological site. The only recognised connection to the Ray lineage in the area is the Harikishore Ray Road, named after Ray's great-grandfather, who was the adoptive father of Upendrakishore Ray Chowdhury. The Ray family once owned a residence on this road, but it was sold long ago and replaced with a multi-story building. The statement added that the decision to demolish the building was made in early 2024, with plans to replace it with a semi-permanent facility for children's development under the academy, and a public auction notice for the demolition was issued through national and local newspapers on 7 March, 2025. The issue stirred significant debate this week. Prominent Bangladeshi media outlets, such as The Daily Star and Prothom Alo, had earlier reported that the building, located along Harikishore Ray Chowdhury Road in Mymensingh, was constructed over a century ago by Upendrakishore Ray Chowdhury. Following the 1947 Partition, the property had reportedly come under government control. Despite years of disrepair and inactivity, activities at the academy ceased roughly a decade ago. In other reports, local poets, activists and some historians argued that the building's heritage value has long been ignored. 'The house remained in a sorry state for years, with cracks forming on its roof—yet the authorities never cared about the rich history these old buildings hold,' Bangladeshi poet Shamim Ashraf was quoted as saying in The Daily Star. (Edited by Mannat Chugh) Also Read: 'Don't demolish, we'll help': India asks Bangladesh to 'reconsider' razing Satyajit Ray's ancestral home
New Indian Express
15 hours ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Demolition of Satyajit Ray's ancestral home in Bangladesh halted; officials deny family's ownership
KOLKATA: The demolition of legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray's ancestral home in Bangladesh's Mymensingh city has been halted following public outcry. However, officials claim the property does not belong to Ray or his family. According to a report by Bangladeshi newspaper Prothom Alo, Mymensingh deputy commissioner Mufidul Alam said, 'This house does not belong to Satyajit Ray or his family. They never lived here. Bangladesh Government is the owner of the house, according to records.' As news of the demolition of renowned film director Satyajit Ray's ancestral house in Bangladesh's Mymensingh hit the headlines, Bangla literature and film enthusiasts and the West Bengal government urged the Bangladeshi government to halt the operations. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Trinamool Congress National General Secretary and Lok Sabha MP Abhishek Banerjee also expressed concern over the demolition of Satyajit Ray's ancestral house in Bangladesh's Mymensingh. 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. 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."
Indian Express
18 hours ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Demolition of Satyajit Ray's ancestral home in Bangladesh halted
The demolition of legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray's ancestral home in Bangladesh's Mymensingh city, about 120 km north of Dhaka, has been halted following a public outcry. 'The demolition was stopped on instructions from the DC, Mymensingh District Children's Affairs Officer Mehedi Zaman told journalists,' Bangladesh's leading daily, The Daily Star, reported on Thursday. 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.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
18 hours ago
- Politics
- Business Standard
Reports claim Bangladesh halts demolition of Satyajit Ray's ancestral home
The demolition of iconic filmmaker Satyajit Ray's ancestral home in Mymensingh, Bangladesh, has been paused following protests from India and cultural advocates, The Week reported on Wednesday evening. According to the report, Bangladeshi authorities have now formed a committee to assess the possibility of reconstructing the dilapidated structure, which once belonged to Ray's grandfather, the eminent Bengali writer and publisher Upendrakishore Ray Chowdhury. Business Standard could not independently verify these reports. Historical site long abandoned and unsafe Located behind the historic Shashi Lodge, the property had reportedly remained abandoned for over a decade. It previously served as the premises of the Mymensingh Shishu Academy, a government-run children's institution, until its operations shifted to a rented facility due to the deteriorating condition of the building. Demolition work on the home had begun earlier this month after citing structural instability and safety concerns, particularly for children who gather in the area. Md Mehedi Zaman, the district's Children Affairs Officer, said the decision had been approved by a committee chaired by Deputy Commissioner Mofidul Alam and included officials from the Public Works Department. New school building planned at site Bangladeshi officials, cited in the report, added that a new building in its place would be used for a school that has been running from rented premises nearby. The new building was intended to continue the academy's activities in a safer environment, adding that the controversy around the demolition stemmed from a "misunderstanding". India offers help in restoration efforts News of the demolition, however, triggered strong reactions in India with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issuing a statement expressing 'profound regret' over the demolition. The MEA spoke of the site's 'landmark status' and called for its repair and conversion into a museum. The ministry further stated that India would be willing to cooperate with Bangladesh to facilitate restoration efforts on the house as 'a symbol of the shared culture of India and Bangladesh'. 'This house, built by Upendrakishore Ray Chowdhury, is not only part of Satyajit Ray's legacy but also a symbol of the Bangla cultural renaissance,' the MEA said in its statement. 'Given its historical value, repair and reconstruction would be preferable to demolition.' West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also described the reports of the demolition as 'extremely distressing.' In a statement on X, she wrote, 'The Ray family is one of the foremost bearers and carriers of Bengali culture. Upendrakishore is a pillar of Bengal's renaissance. Therefore, I believe this house is intricately tied to the cultural history of Bengal.' Satyajit Ray's ancestral home significance The building, situated on a 36-acre compound, was constructed over a century ago by Upendrakishore Ray Chowdhury, a zamindar originally from Masua in present-day Kishoreganj. Aside from being a towering figure in 19th-century Bengali literature, Chowdhury was also a painter and the founder of Sandesh, a children's magazine launched in 1913. He was the father of renowned writer Sukumar Ray and the grandfather of Satyajit Ray, one of India's most celebrated filmmakers and cultural icons. Following the Partition in 1947, the house came under the ownership of the Government of Bangladesh. In 1989, it was officially designated as the site of the Mymensingh Shishu Academy. Years of neglect, however, left it in a serious state of disrepair. The controversy comes shortly after Mamata Banerjee wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in June, calling for action against the reported vandalism of poet Rabindranath Tagore's ancestral property in Sirajganj, also in Bangladesh.
