West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has raised concerns over the reported demolition of legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray&rsquo;s ancestral home in Mymensingh, Bangladesh. On July 15, 2025, she made an emotional appeal to the Bangladesh Government to preserve the residence, which holds deep cultural significance for Bengal.
The house is closely linked to Ray&rsquo;s grandfather, Upendrakishore Ray Chowdhury &mdash; a revered writer, editor, and figure of the Bengal Renaissance. &ldquo;The demolition work had reportedly begun. This news is extremely saddening,&rdquo; said Banerjee, highlighting Upendrakishore&rsquo;s contribution to Bengal&rsquo;s intellectual legacy.
The building, over a century old, had been abandoned for the past decade. After the 1947 partition, it came under government ownership. The Bangladesh Department of Archaeology has proposed a &ldquo;Shishu Academy&rdquo; in its place.
Banerjee also urged the Indian government to intervene diplomatically, stressing the Ray family's vital role in India&rsquo;s cultural fabric.
This comes amid growing tensions, following reports of damage to Rabindranath Tagore&rsquo;s ancestral house in Sirajganj last month, sparking political outcry in West Bengal.

Mamata Urges Bangladesh to Save Satyajit Ray's Ancestral Home

CM Mamata appeals to Bangladesh to preserve the Ray family's historic Mymensingh residence

Mamata Urges Bangladesh to Save Satyajit Ray's Ancestral Home

CM Mamata appeals to Bangladesh to preserve the Ray family's historic Mymensingh residence

July 16, 2025 | 14:43 IST