The Mymensingh house might not belong to Satyajit Ray's family, but there’s little to celebrate

A century-old house on Harikishore Ray Road in Mymensingh, recently marked for demolition, has sparked controversy after media reports in India and Bangladesh falsely linked it to the ancestral family of legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray.

The Mymensingh district administration, backed by local researchers and historians, has clarified that the house has no connection to Ray or his forebearers, putting an end to the misinformation that fueled widespread concern.

The single-storey building, used by the Bangladesh Shishu Academy as its office from 1989 until 2007, had fallen into disrepair and was declared unsafe years ago. Abandoned for over a decade, the structure suffered from crumbling walls and neglect, prompting the Shishu Academy to begin demolishing it to construct a modern, multi-storey facility for children's activities. The decision was approved by the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, with allocated funding, and followed legal procedures.

But Sabina Yasmin, a field officer of the Department of Archaeology, recently gave a statement to the media, claiming that the house being demolished belonged to the ancestors of Satyajit Ray. Following the publication of this statement, confusion quickly spread. Several Indian media outlets reported that Satyajit Ray's ancestral home was being torn down, prompting strong reactions from high-level officials in India.

Yasmin noted that the house currently being demolished stands very close to the site of the former Ray residence and is itself over a hundred years old. Based on her reading of several books and viewing of YouTube content, she formed the impression that the house might be connected to Satyajit Ray's ancestors. However, she also acknowledged that further research is needed to confirm any such claim.

Adding to the confusion, Satyajit Ray's son, filmmaker Sandip Ray, told Indian media that he too had heard that the house was being demolished. Although it seems he was talking about the building that was demolished a while back, not the one currently in the news.

He revealed that his father had once intended to feature the house in a documentary and had even expressed a desire to visit Bangladesh for that purpose. "In 1987, my father was making a documentary on Sukumar Ray," Sandip Ray recounted. 

"At the time, he had expressed interest in visiting Bangladesh and including the ancestral house in the film. He sent one of his assistants there, who took photographs. After seeing the pictures, my father was very saddened by the poor condition of the house. Its state was so bad that he decided to omit that part from the documentary," he further said.

But Sandip also admitted to not knowing much about the current status of the house, adding, "We had heard in between that the house would be renovated and preserved as a heritage site. But now it seems that something else is happening. I've never been there. My father may have gone once, a very long time ago. So it's difficult for us to comment with certainty. But I can say that the house was in a very poor state."

India's Ministry of External Affairs expressed "deep concern" over the demolition, offering support to restore the site, while West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called the news "heartbreaking," emphasising the Ray family's role in Bengal's cultural renaissance.

However, a thorough investigation by the Mymensingh district administration, led by Deputy Commissioner Mufidul Alam, confirmed that the house was built by Zamindar Shashikant Acharya Chowdhury near his residence, Shashi Lodge, for his employees. 

After the zamindari system was abolished, the property became government-owned and was later leased to the Shishu Academy, with official records showing no connection to the Ray family. The house was once occupied by a manager appointed by philanthropist Ranada Prasad Saha, who had leased it from Shashikant after purchasing a nearby power station, further distancing it from Ray's lineage.

Local researchers, including archaeologist Swapan Dhar, clarified that while the Ray family did own a property on Harikishore Ray Road — known as Punyalakshmi Bhawan — it was sold long ago and replaced by a 14-storey building, now called Durlabh Dalia Tower. 

The actual ancestral home of Satyajit Ray is located in Mosua union of Katiadi upazila, Kishoreganj, where Upendrakishore Ray Chowdhury's legacy is preserved by the Bangladesh government, though that property is also in ruins.

Following the controversy, a meeting was held on 16 July 2025 at the Deputy Commissioner's office, attended by writers, researchers, archaeology officials, Shishu Academy representatives, and concerned citizens. After extensive discussions and review of historical records, attendees unanimously agreed that the demolished house has no ties to Satyajit Ray.

While the Mymensingh house controversy proved to be a false alarm, it highlights the vulnerability of Bangladesh's historical buildings and the urgent need to protect the nation's cultural heritage. Several significant heritage structures in Bangladesh have been lost to demolition, often due to urban development, neglect, or lack of awareness, underscoring the importance of vigilance.

Deputy Commissioner Alam emphasised that government records, including the Record of Rights (RS), list the property under state ownership, with no mention of Ray or his ancestors. He accused certain parties of deliberately spreading false information to tarnish Bangladesh's image. The demolition, which had partially progressed, was paused amid the uproar. The district administration is now engaging with stakeholders to address the site's future, acknowledging the need for clearer communication to prevent such misunderstandings.

Authorities have urged the public to rely on verified information and avoid misinformation, noting that the road's name, derived from Harikishore Ray, likely contributed to the confusion.

While the Mymensingh house controversy proved to be a false alarm, it highlights the vulnerability of Bangladesh's historical buildings and the urgent need to protect the nation's cultural heritage. Several significant heritage structures in Bangladesh have been lost to demolition, often due to urban development, neglect, or lack of awareness, underscoring the importance of vigilance.

One notable example is the demolition of the ancestral home of filmmaker Ritwik Ghatak in Rajshahi's Upashahar area. The 150-year-old house, linked to Ghatak's family and his contributions to Bangla cinema, was razed in October 2023 to make way for modern development, despite protests from cultural activists and the local community. The property held historical significance due to Ghatak's legacy, but the lack of protective measures led to its destruction.

Similarly, in Old Dhaka's Lalbagh‑Armanitola neighbourhood, the 200‑year‑old Pogose House — the colonial‑era residence of Armenian merchant Nicholas Pogose — was demolished despite protests by heritage activists (including the Urban Study Group) and efforts to save it.

In April 2023, another British‑era institution — the 125‑year‑old Railway Hospital building in Fulbaria — was torn down despite being legally protected as one of over 2,200 heritage sites listed by the High Court in 2018.

Yes, the Mymensingh house did not belong to Satyajit Ray's family, but elsewhere in Bangladesh, legitimate heritage structures have been lost. That reality demands vigilance, legal enforcement, and societal appreciation of our shared past if future tragedies of cultural erasure are to be prevented.