The Jamaat-controlled interim government, led by razakar Dula Mia Saudgorโs son Muhammad Yunus, has started destroying the age-old residence of globally acclaimed filmmaker and writer Satyajit Ray in Mymensingh to build a multi-storey building at the place.
Activists consider the move a sequel to the anti-Liberation War and anti-Hindu decisions of the government and its stakeholders that are being taken to revise the countryโs history, revoke secularism, and promote extremism.
Since August 5, over 2,000 sculptures, murals, and museums related to the 1971 Liberation War, the Father of the Nation and cultural and archaeological establishments have been destroyed by the extremists who have been enjoying impunity under the governmentโs patronisation.
Erasing the nationโs father: An assault on the 1971 Liberation War
Tungipara on alert as Yunus Gang threatens to demolish Bangabandhuโs mausoleum
Attack on Tagoreโs Kachari Bari: India wants action against terrorists
According to the Department of Archaeology, the house was built over a century ago by Upendrakishore Ray Chowdhury, a zamindar from Masua in Kishoreganj’s Katiadi Upazila. After the partition of 1947, the property came under government ownership and started housing the Mymensingh Shishu Academy in 1989.
Upendrakishore was the father of the celebrated poet Sukumar Ray and the grandfather of legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray.
Locals say the demolition will wipe out the legacy of the Ray dynasty in Mymensingh city.
The dilapidated building, spanning 36 acres of land, has remained empty since 2007. Shishu Academy is now demolishing the abandoned building to construct a multi-storey complex.
RESET BUTTON: Yunus is replacing 1971 memorials with July monuments
Oikya Parishad: 27 killed, 20 raped in 258 violent attacks on minorities in 6 months
Meanwhile, the Indian government has urged the Bangladesh government to reconsider its decision to demolish the building and expressed interest in assisting in the renovation and reconstruction of it.
A press release from the Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday said: “We note with deep sorrow that the ancestral home of renowned filmmaker and writer Satyajit Ray in Mymensingh, Bangladesh, is being demolished. The house belonged to his grandfather, eminent writer Upendra Kishore Roy Chowdhury.”
Report: Minority persecution in Bangladesh since July 2024
Chinmoy Prabhu instigated, instructed murder of lawyer Alif, says chargesheet
The press release said that the house, currently owned by the Bangladesh government, is in a dilapidated condition, and considering the historical importance of the building as a symbol of the cultural awakening of Bengal, the demolition should be reconsidered and options should be explored for its renovation and reconstruction as a literary museum and a symbol of the common culture of India and Bangladesh.
Meanwhile, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also urged the Bangladesh government to reconsider its decision to demolish the house that is associated with the memories of Satyajit Ray’s ancestors. She made this call on Tuesday.
Yunusโ provocations trigger further trade restrictions by India
What did the Indian parliamentary team discuss about Bangladesh?
On the other hand, Archaeology Department official Sabina Yasmin submitted a written application to the District Children’s Affairs Officer on Monday, seeking documents regarding the demolition of the structure.
Sabina Yasmin told the daily Prothom Alo that the house had not been listed as an archaeological monument. โOur survey shows that these structures can be listed as archaeological monuments. We want the house to be saved as a centenary structure.โ
English