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Bangladesh Halts Tear-Down of Mymensingh Building Linked to Satyajit Ray

Dhaka disputes any ancestral connection to Satyajit Ray as it reviews an Indian proposal to restore the site as a literature museum

The demolition of Satyajit Ray's ancestral home has sparked widespread outrage on social media.
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The century-old house, located on Harikishore Ray Chowdhury Road in Mymensingh, has been abandoned for about 10 years.
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Overview

  • Authorities halted demolition on July 16 following sustained protests by residents, appeals from West Bengal’s chief minister and India’s external affairs ministry.
  • Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on July 17 that the structure has no documented historical or familial ties to Satyajit Ray or his ancestors.
  • India’s external affairs ministry and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee have offered technical and financial support to restore the property as a literature museum.
  • The century-old building, constructed by Upendra Kishore Ray Chowdhury and nationalized after Partition, operated as the Mymensingh Shishu Academy before standing vacant for over a decade.
  • Officials now face a choice between preserving the site as a heritage landmark and proceeding with plans for a new semi-concrete academy facility.