KOLKATA: As news of the ongoing 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.
Speaking on the matter, Sandip Ray said that his father, Satyajit Ray, had wanted to feature the house in one of his documentaries, but dropped the plan due to the dilapidated condition of the house.
Sandip Ray said, "In 1987, my father was making a documentary on Sukumar Ray (father of Satyajit Ray). At that time, he wanted to go to Bangladesh because he wanted to feature that ancestral house in the documentary."
"My father sent one of his assistants to check. My father was very shocked to see the pictures. The condition of the ancestral house was very bad. Therefore, that part was excluded from the documentary," he added.
Sandip Ray said that he does not know anything about the decision to demolish the house. He said, "Earlier, I heard that the house will be renovated and made into a heritage site. .. I have never been there. My father may have gone there once a long time ago. That is why it is difficult for us to say anything. However, I can say that the condition of the house was very bad."
Meanwhile, following 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.
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.