MP Abhishek Banerjee urges Centre to intervene in demolition of Satyajit Ray’s ancestral home in Bangladesh
KOLKATA: Following West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Trinamool Congress National General Secretary and Lok Sabha MP Abhishek Banerjee has also expressed concern over the demolition of Satyajit Ray’s ancestral house in Mymensingh, Bangladesh.
On Wednesday, he demanded that the Government of India initiate dialogue with the Bangladesh Government regarding the preservation of the Ray family home, which has made an incomparable contribution to Bengali culture.
This development was first reported by Bangladeshi newspapers The Daily Star and Prothom Alo. According to these reports, the house, located on Harikishor Ray Road in the district's headquarters, had been used as the Mymensingh Shishu Academy.
The Prothom Alo report claimed that the house had remained unused since 2007. The Shishu Academy has allegedly begun preparations to demolish the abandoned house in order to construct a multi-storeyed building. The academy had started using the building in 1989, during the tenure of the then military ruler of Bangladesh, Hussain Mohammad Ershad.
Abhishek Banerjee 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.”
He also appealed to the Bangladesh government to preserve the property.
“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,” he added.
On Tuesday, Mamata Banerjee had similarly raised the issue in a post on X: “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 added that 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,” her post further stated.
Reacting to the issue on Tuesday night, New Delhi issued a statement, noting 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.
