West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee urges Bangladesh to preserve Satyajit Ray’s grandfather's ancestral home

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today expressed deep concern over the alleged demolition of the ancestral home of Satyajit Ray’s grandfather, the renowned writer-editor Upendrakishore Ray Chowdhury, in Bangladesh's Mymensingh, and urged the Bangladesh government to take steps to preserve this house. Banerjee also urged the Central government to “pay attention to this matter”.

Banerjee has written in a X Handle post today, “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 learnt that the demolition work had already begun. This news is extremely distressing. The Ray family is one of the foremost bearers and carriers of Bengali culture. Upendra Kishore 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-laden house. The Indian government should pay attention to this matter,” Banerjee wrote in her post.


According to a newspaper in Bangladesh “Daily Star”, “the ancestral home of eminent litterateur Upendra Kishore Ray Chowdhury, formerly used as the Mymensingh Shishu Academy, is being demolished to make way for a new semi-concrete structure.”

“Located on Horikishore Ray Chowdhury Road in the city, the century-old house is tied to the legacy of the illustrious Ray family, whose contributions to Bangla literature and arts are considered foundational. Horikishore Ray Chowdhury himself was an ancestor of Upendra Kishore, Sukumar, and Satyajit,” the newspaper said in its report.