DHAKA, July 17: Bangladeshi authorities have halted the demolition of legendary Indian filmmaker Satyajit Ray’s ancestral home in Mymensingh, after massive public uproar.
The century-old-property, which has long fallen into disrepair was scheduled for demolition, but was stopped by Deputy Commissioner Mofidul Alam, who strangely enough said that the property in question is not the ancestral home of Ray, reports Daily Star.
The DC said, “We have taken opinions from senior residents, archaeologists and researchers in the city. Based on their input, we have come to this conclusion that the house is not the ancestral home of Satyajit Ray.”
He added that Rai Bahadur Ranada Prasad Shaha, the eminent philanthropist, occasionally resided in that house, and that Ray’s ancestral home was a short distance away.
The house, located on Harikishore Roy Road, was being demolished to make way for a new semi-concrete structure for the Shishu Academy.
The house in question was identified as the ancestral property of the Ray family, following an investigation by Sabina Yeasmin, field officer of the Department of Archaeology (Dhaka and Mymensingh divisions).
In her letter to the District Children’s Affairs Officer, Yeasmin urged for the building to not be demolished, writing “This is a historic house belonging to the Ray family. Though not listed as a protected site, it is over a hundred years old and linked to Satyajit Ray’s ancestors. It should be considered for heritage protection.”
After the local media cited the Archaeology Department’s report, there has been much debate regarding whether it really is Ray’s home or not.
Some argue that the structure is indeed the ancestral home of eminent litterateur Upendrakishore Ray Chowdhury, father of celebrated poet Sukumar Ray and grandfather of Satyajit Ray, while some others say it was instead constructed by Maharaja Shashikanto Acharya Chowdhury of Muktagachha.
On July 15, the Indian government had offered to cooperate with the Bangladesh government to repair and reconstruct the ancestral property of noted filmmaker Satyajit Ray in Mymensingh.
(UNI)
Follow our WhatsApp channel
