New Delhi/Dhaka: The ancestral home of iconic Indian filmmaker Satyajit Ray in Dhaka is under demolition, despite mounting protests from cultural historians, artists, and Indian authorities. The structure, long regarded as a symbol of Bengal’s rich intellectual and artistic legacy, is now being reduced to rubble—signalling a painful blow to South Asia’s shared heritage.
The house, located on Horikishore Ray Chowdhury Road in Dhaka, once belonged to Ray’s grandfather, Upendra Kishore Ray Chowdhury, a pioneering publisher, author, and illustrator. Though the building had fallen into disrepair over the decades, it held immense historical and sentimental value. Activists argue that it represents a tangible link to the legacy of a family that shaped Bengali literature, science education, children’s publishing, and cinema.
A Cultural Legacy Under Threat
The demolition, initiated by Bangladeshi authorities under the justification of “structural instability,” has ignited diplomatic concern and cross-border outrage. Officials claim the building was unsafe and propose a semi-concrete children’s academy in its place—an assertion that has done little to pacify critics, who accuse the government of erasing a historic site without due process or exploration of conservation alternatives.
The house formerly served as the Mymensingh Shishu Academy, a children’s centre, but has stood unused for nearly a decade. Archaeologists and cultural heritage advocates in Bangladesh have repeatedly petitioned for its protection, arguing that it deserved recognition as a protected heritage site under national preservation laws.
Indian Leaders Voice Concern
Reacting sharply to the demolition, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee issued a public statement condemning the act as “extremely distressing.” Calling the home “a cradle of Bengal’s cultural renaissance,” she urged both the Indian Ministry of External Affairs and the Bangladeshi government to reconsider the decision and seek alternatives through restoration.
“This house is not just a structure of bricks and mortar—it is a sacred cultural archive,” her statement read. “We must honour and preserve our shared legacy, not bulldoze it.”
India’s Ministry of External Affairs has since reached out to Dhaka through diplomatic channels, offering both technical expertise and financial support to assist in preservation and rehabilitation of the structure. However, as of Tuesday night, the demolition continues, with bulldozers seen clearing debris from the site.
A Symbol Larger Than Its Walls
Satyajit Ray, who was awarded the Bharat Ratna and an honorary Oscar, is regarded globally as a cinematic pioneer. But beyond his films, his family’s legacy embodies Bengal’s 19th–20th century cultural awakening—a period that saw the convergence of art, science, and literature under colonial rule.
His grandfather Upendra Kishore founded Sandesh, a children’s magazine that continues to inspire generations. His father, Sukumar Ray, was a literary genius whose satirical works remain unparalleled in Bengali literature.
“To demolish the place where this family lived and dreamed is to demolish a part of who we are,” said an emotional Kolkata-based historian, speaking to The Political Observer.
Preservation or Progress?
The incident has reignited a broader conversation across South Asia about the fragile state of cultural preservation. Experts warn that historic structures—especially those linked to India’s pre-partition heritage—are increasingly vulnerable to urban redevelopment and political neglect.
“South Asia continues to undervalue built heritage, especially when it carries emotional and historical baggage,” said a Dhaka-based conservationist. “Without political will, we will keep losing what generations before us built—not only with materials but with imagination.”
A Shared Responsibility
As demolition crews press ahead in Dhaka, what remains of Satyajit Ray’s ancestral home may soon be reduced to a footnote in heritage debates. Yet the wider implications remain. The loss resonates beyond borders—not just as the destruction of a physical structure, but as an erosion of a shared civilizational identity.
For India and Bangladesh—nations bound by cultural memory as much as by geography—this moment poses a question that transcends diplomacy: Do we have the resolve to preserve the soul of our shared history, or will we continue to erase it in the name of modernity?
