Suvendu Adikari welcomes Centre’s proposal to collaborate with Bangladesh for restoring Satyajit Ray’s house

Kolkata: Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the West Bengal assembly Suvendu Adhikari on Wednesday expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for India’s proposal to collaborate with Bangladesh for the repair and reconstruction of the ancestral property of the legendary Satyajit Ray in Mymensingh, calling it an “exemplary gesture”, a day after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed deep concern over the alleged demolition of the ancestral home of Satyajit Ray’s grandfather, the renowned writer-editor Upendrakishore Ray Chowdhury, in Bangladesh.

“I express my deepest gratitude and admiration to the Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi JI for his exemplary gesture. The Government of India’s proposal to collaborate with Bangladesh for the repair and reconstruction of the ancestral property of the legendary Satyajit Ray in Mymensingh, with the vision of transforming it into a Museum of Literature and a symbol of the shared cultural heritage of India and Bangladesh, is a truly commendable initiative,” said the leader of the opposition in a statement that he posted on the wall of his official X handle on Wednesday afternoon.

Adhikari pointed out that the Minister of External Affairs had already expressed regrets over the demolition of the property, presently owned by the Bangladesh Government.

Expressing deep concern over reports that ancestral home of Satyajit Ray’s grandfather, eminent writer-editor Upendrakishore Ray Chowdhury, in Bangladesh’s Mymensingh city is being demolished, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee urged the Muhammad Yunus government to take steps to preserve this house. She also sought the intervention of the Indian government in the matter.

In a post on X on Monday, Banerjee said: “I learnt from media reports that the memory-entwined ancestral house of renowned writer-editor Upendrakishore Roychowdhury in Bangladesh’s Mymensingh city is being demolished. The reports say that the demolition process had already begun. This is heartbreaking news… The Ray family is one of the most prominent torchbearers of Bengal’s culture. Upendrakishore was among the pillars of the Bengal Renaissance. I feel this house is inextricably linked to Bengal’s cultural history. I appeal to the Bangladeshi government and to all right-thinking people of that country to preserve this edifice of rich tradition. The Indian government should also intervene.”

According to Bangladesh’s newspaper ‘The Daily Star’, “Located on Horikishore Ray Chowdhury Road, the century-old house is tied to the legacy of the illustrious Ray family, whose contributions to Bangla literature and arts are considered foundational. Horikishore Ray Chowdhury himself was an ancestor of Upendra Kishore, Sukumar, and Satyajit.”