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Indian Express
5 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Unpacking controversy over alleged demolition of Satyajit Ray's ancestral home in Bangladesh
There is no consensus on whether a dilapidated building that was being razed in Mymensingh, Bangladesh was the ancestral home of film-maker Satyajit Ray. But coming a month after a mob vandalised the ancestral mansion of poet-polymath Rabindranath Tagore in Sirajganj district in June, the demolition in Mymensingh, first reported in Bangladesh on Tuesday (July 15), was bound to draw a response from New Delhi and stir up controversy in India. Here's a breakdown of all that has happened so far, and why the destruction of a run-down building in Bangladesh has inflamed passions in India. * A day after the demolition began, two leading Bangladesh dailies The Daily Star and Prothom Alo on Tuesday reported the demolition of Satyajit Ray's ancestral home in Mymensingh. The Daily Star's report, carried with the headline 'Satyajit Ray's ancestral home being demolished', stated: 'The century-old house, located on Harikishore Ray Chowdhury Road in Mymensingh, is tied to the legacy of the illustrious Ray family, whose contributions to Bangla literature and arts are considered foundational. Harikishore Ray Chowdhury himself was an ancestor of Upendrakishore, Sukumar, and Satyajit.' It added: 'According to the Department of Archaeology, the house was built over a century ago by Upendrakishore, a zamindar from Masua in Kishoreganj's Katiadi upazila. After the partition of 1947, the property came under government ownership and started housing Mymensingh Shishu Academy in 1989.' * The news was soon picked up in West Bengal, with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her nephew and Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha MP Abhishek Banerjee taking to X to criticise the demolition. 'News reports reveal that in Bangladesh's Mymensingh city, the ancestral home of Satyajit Ray's grandfather, the renowned writer-editor Upendrakishore Ray Chowdhury, steeped in his memories, is reportedly being demolished. It is said that the demolition work had already begun. This news is extremely distressing,' Mamata posted on X on Tuesday evening. Citing the building's intricate ties to the 'cultural history of Bengal', the West Bengal Chief Minister appealed to 'the Bangladesh government and all the conscientious people of that country' to preserve the house, and the Indian government to 'pay attention to this matter'. By this time, the news had spread on Indian social media, triggering outrage across the country. * On the heels of Mamata Banerjee's social media post, New Delhi too released an official statement on Tuesday night. 'Given the building's landmark status, symbolising Bangla cultural renaissance, it would be preferable to reconsider the demolition and examine options for its repair and reconstruction as a museum of literature and a symbol of the shared culture of India and Bangladesh. The Government of India would be willing to extend cooperation for this purpose,' said the statement by the Ministry of External Affairs. * The public outcry, in India and among a section of the Bangladeshi population, led municipal authorities to halt the demolition in Mymensingh on Wednesday, The Daily Star reported. But the very same day, the interim government in Dhaka issued a statement denying that the house had anything to do with Satyajit Ray and his family. A more comprehensive statement on Thursday from Bangladesh's Foreign Affairs Ministry said: 'Detailed inquiry into the archival records re-confirmed that the house in question never had any relation with the ancestors of the esteemed laureate Satyajit Ray. It was built by a local Zamindar Shashikant Acharya Chowdhury, next to his bungalow house 'Shashi Lodge', for his employees. Upon the abolition of the zamindari system, it came under the control of the government. The government later… leased to Shishu Academy on a long term basis.' It added that the Ray family did have a house on Harikishore Ray Road, 'which they had sold long ago… A multi-storied building was constructed there by the new owner', and said that the building that is now being demolished was 'dilapidated, risky and unusable' and 'the abandoned house became a den for unlawful activities by local anti-social elements' after the Shishu Academy moved out about a decade ago. New Delhi responded to media reports coming from Bangladesh, after which Dhaka issued a swift denial. As such, emminent voices on both sides of the border are in disagreement over whether the being demolished used to belong to the Rays. What we know for sure is that the Ray family's ancestral house once stood in the heart of Mymensingh, a city located on the bank of the Brahmaputra, about 120 km to the north of Dhaka. But neither Satyajit nor his son, emminent Bengali film director Sandip Ray, ever seemed to have visited the house themselves. 'I have never been to Bangladesh to see this building. Neither did baba [Satyajit Ray] ever go. I have only heard that it was in Kishoreganj of Mymensingh,' Sandip told The Indian Express. The demolition in question did indeed occur in Mymensingh's Kishoreganj, as per The Daily Star and Prothom Alo. And the road on which the house in question stood — Harikishore Ray Chowdhury Road — is named after Satyajit Ray's great-grandfather. (Not having a son of his own, zamindar Harikishore had adopted Upendrakishore, Satyajit's grandfather, when the latter was only five; Upendrakishore was born to a relative, possibly cousin, of Harikishore). The Ray family's presence in Mymensingh can be traced back to the 17th century, when Ramsundar Deb, the earliest-known member of the family, settled in Jashodal. The family later moved to Kishoreganj. Some members of the Ray family remained there till the Partition, although Upendrakishore himself had moved to Calcutta where he graduated from Calcutta Metropolitan Institution (now Vidyasagar College) in 1884. Both Satyajit and his father, Sukumar Ray, were born in Calcutta, and spent their lives in the city. While making a documentary on his father, Satyajit in the 1980s had sent someone to Mymensingh to click pictures of their ancestral home. 'But baba saw those pictures and was disheartened because the buildings were in a dilapidated state. He decided not to use those pictures,' Sandip Ray said. The 70-year-old film-maker could not confirm whether the house being demolished was the Rays' ancestral home. Even if the house being demolished in Mymensingh did not belong to the Rays, the controversy nonetheless points to a larger issue. The new dispensation in Dhaka, which came to power last August on the back of violent protests against then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has been wilfully negligible when it comes to protecting important historical and cultural landmarks in the country. Under this dispensation, the house of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding father of Bangladesh, was torched by vandals, and a mob inflicted significant damage to Tagore's house last month. The alleged demolition of Ray's ancestral home is only the latest such development. 'These incidents are very disturbing, unfortunate but not surprising. The recent socio-political condition of Bangladesh is gradually growing distant from our [Bengali] cultural practice… The relation between the two Bengals is deteriorating,' eminent Bengali writer Tilottama Majumder told The Indian Express. While Satyajit was undoubtedly the most famous of all Rays, he was a part of a lineage that changed Bengali literature forever. Upendrakishore Ray Chowdhury (1863–1915) was a pioneer in children's literature, illustration, and printing. His books such as Tuntunir Boi (1911) and Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne (1915, later adapted to the screen by Satyajit in 1969) are cherished till date for their fantastical stories and artistry. Upendrakishore also founded Sandesh, a children's magazine that entertained and educated in equal measure. And his breakthroughs in half-tone printing brought stories to life in a new visual language, making books accessible for everyone, especially the young. Sukumar Ray (1887–1923), Upendrakishore's son and Satyajit's father, inherited this creative spirit. With works such as Abol Tabol (1923) he introduced a new kind of playful, poetic nonsensical poetry which continues to be read to children even today. Characters such as Kumro Potash and Kath Buro are a part and parcel of the lexicon of many a Bengali household. Sukumar was also active in the Brahmo Samaj, a reformist group that promoted rational thinking and social progress. Sukumar's sister, Lila Majumder (1908-2007), is another eminent figure in Bengali children's remained a contributor to Sandesh till her last breath, and an incomplete bibliography credits her with a total of 125 books. Satyajit Ray (1921–1992) was born in Calcutta. He continued his family's literary tradition, although he is more known for his film-making outside Bengal. His critically acclaimed filmography won him an Oscar for Lifetime Achievement in 1992, days before his passing.
NDTV
16-07-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
Mujib, Tagore, Now Ray: Culture Crackdown In Bangladesh Post Hasina Ouster?
The demolition of legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray's ancestral home in Bangladesh's Mymensingh has yet again spotlighted the cultural shift in the neighbouring country after the Sheikh Hasina government was ousted and a new dispensation led by Nobel Laureate and economist Muhammad Yunus took charge. The months following the change of guard in Dhaka have seen India-Bangladesh ties nosedive. While India has flagged reports of attacks on Hindi minorities, Bangladesh has demanded that New Delhi stay out of its internal matters and extradite Sheikh Hasina. This comes after decades of close partnership between the two countries and is also significant against the historical backdrop of India's support in Bangladesh getting its freedom from Pakistan in 1971. Another transformation has followed the leadership change. Bangladesh appears to be shedding its past, its cultural history and its shared heritage with India. And in doing so, iconic cultural centres are being neglected at best, and destroyed at worst. Here are a few instances February 2025: A part of the ancestral house of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding president of Bangladesh and Sheikh Hasina's father, is demolished. This Dhaka residence is where the hero of the Bangladesh liberation movement was murdered along with nearly 50 members of his family and staff. June 2025: The ancestral home of Rabindranath Tagore at Shahzadpur in Bangladesh's Sirajganj district was vandalised by a mob following a dispute between a visitor and a museum staff over a parking fee. The mob damaged the auditorium and attacked an official. The museum was temporarily closed, and a probe was initiated. July 2025: Legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray's ancestral home in Mymensingh is being demolished. Bangladesh authorities argue that the structure, belonging to Ray's grandfather and litterateur Upendra Kishore Roy Chowdhury, is being demolished after "necessary approvals". According to an IANS report, officials from Dhaka's Department of Archaeology admitted that their repeated requests to protect the building went unheard. India has offered cooperation in repairing and restoring the historic structure. "Given the building's landmark status, symbolising Bangla cultural renaissance, it would be preferable to reconsider the demolition and examine options for its repair and reconstruction as a museum of literature and a symbol of the shared culture of India and Bangladesh," the Ministry of External Affairs said. A Shared Culture Before the Radcliffe Line hacked parts of Punjab and Bengal in 1947, setting off a bloody human migration, Bengal was partitioned in 1905 too. While the move was largely aimed at easing administration, it was seen as a 'divide and rule' attempt, and such was the backlash that the British were forced to reverse it. And then, the 1947 Partition happened. Millions of Bengalis left their homes, towns and families behind as they started life as refugees in Kolkata and several parts of the Northeast. Like their counterparts in Punjab, they could never forget their lost home. This longing transcended borders and also enriched a shared cultural heritage. Bengali music, literature and cinema have never been divided, nor have Bengal's cultural icons. The cultural centres in Bangladesh connected to Ray and Tagore are significant against this backdrop. Their neglect and vandalism imply an indifference to this cultural heritage and a distancing of a section of Bangladesh from these cultural icons, who once commanded equal admiration on both sides of the border. Amid reports about Ray's ancestral residence, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee posted on X, "The Ray family is one of the foremost bearers and carriers of Bengali culture. Upendrakishore is a pillar of Bengal's renaissance. Therefore, I believe this house is intricately tied to the cultural history of Bengal. I appeal to the Bangladesh government and all the conscientious people of that country to take steps to preserve this heritage-laden house. The Indian government should pay attention to this matter." Bangladesh vs History As Sheikh Hasina fled Dhaka amid nationwide protests, an iconic image played on TV screens and phones across the world. A section of protesters toppled a golden statue of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on Bijoy Sarani. It was an iconic sight. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was not just Sheikh Hasina's father. Called 'Bangabandhu', he was the revolutionary who led Bangladesh to freedom. To destroy his statues and vandalise his ancestral residence goes beyond the public sentiment against his Prime Minister daughter. It signals a society's disowning of its history and a desperate attempt to distance itself from its liberation movement, based primarily on language. In fact, the protests that ousted Hasina were triggered by the Awami League government's policy to reserve 30 per cent of government jobs for descendants of veterans who fought in the 1971 war of independence from Pakistan. Most of these people were linked to the Awami League. Bangladesh has a huge unemployment problem and many of its young nationals were born in a free country. For them, the reservation for the 1971 veterans limited their opportunities. They protested, and when Hasina tried to crush this protest, it grew only stronger. Is Islamism Growing In Bangladesh? Reports of atrocities against minority Hindus have sparked a buzz that Islamic fundamentalism is gaining ground in Bangladesh after the Awami League government was ousted. The Jamaat-e-Islami, which supported Islamabad during the 1971 War of Liberation and was banned by Sheikh Hasina, has returned to the political landscape and is now eligible to contest elections. Bangladesh has a paradoxical constitution. It says that the state religion is Islam, "but the State shall ensure equal status and equal right in the practice of the Hindu, Buddhist, Christian and other religions". It adds that the principle of secularism shall be realised by eliminating communalism, by abuse of religion for political purposes and by preventing discrimination on religious grounds. In fact, when Bangladesh became independent, it did not have a state religion. It was in 1988 when military dictator Hussain Muhammad Ershad pushed Parliament to recognise Islam as the state religion. In 2011, the then Sheikh Hasina government stressed secularism, but Islam remained the state religion. With the change of guard, Bangladesh is again at the crossroads. The National Consensus Commission, tasked with leading critical democratic reforms, discussed this issue too. About 38 political parties debated recommendations to change the terms of the Constitution from "secularism" to "pluralism". "Although most parties rejected the idea of pluralism, they recommended incorporating some form of protection for minorities," said Ali Riaz, the commission's vice president.
NDTV
14-06-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
India Demands Bangladesh "Rein In Terrorists" After Tagore's Home Vandalised
New Delhi: India has strongly condemned the "despicable" and "disgraceful" act of violence and vandalism on poet, polymath, and Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore's ancestral home in Bangladesh, describing the perpetrators of the act as "terrorists". Rabindranath Tagore's ancestral home - Kutcherybari - now a museum in Bangladesh's Sirajganj district, was vandalised by a mob on Sunday, following a dispute between a visitor and museum staff over motorcycle parking fee. During the altercation, the visitor was allegedly confined and assaulted. The incident triggered public anger, which led to a protest near the entrance. Soon after, a mob stormed the premises, and damaged the museum and auditorium. 'PATTERN OF SYSTEMATIC ATTEMPTS BY EXTREMISTS' Outraged over the incident, India's Ministry of External Affairs expressed its displeasure and concern. Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, "We strongly condemn the despicable attack and vandalism of the ancestral home of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore by a mob on June 8, 2025," adding that "The violent act is a disgrace to the memory, the inclusive philosophy, and the teachings that the Nobel laureate espoused in Bangladesh." Blaming it on the rise of extremism in Bangladesh in recent times, Mr Jaiswal said, "The attack falls in the broad pattern of systematic attempts made by extremists to erase the symbols of tolerance and eviscerate the syncretic culture and the cultural legacy of Bangladesh." Labeling the offenders as terrorists and demanding that the incident be dealt with strictly, Mr Jaiswal urged the Yunus government "to rein in the terrorists and take strict action against the perpetrators in order to prevent the recurrence of such incidents that sadly have become a repetitive feature." WHAT BANGLADESH HAS DONE SO FAR Though a statement over the incident has not been issued by Dhaka, Bangladeshi authorities have temporarily closed the museum and launched a probe. A three-member committee formed by the Department of Archaeology has been asked to submit a report within five working days. Md Habibur Rahman, the custodian of the Rabindra Kutcherybari museum, said that the site is now completely out of bounds for visitors, adding that the entire premises has been put under surveillance. Meanwhile, several reactions poured in from India. OUTRAGE IN INDIA In a post on X, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami called this incident "Shocking and Unacceptable." He added that this is happening "under the silent gaze of Mohammad Yunus's government." He called this "far beyond mere vandalism. It is a premeditated hate crime, an attack on the civilizational spirit and cultural heritage of Bharat." He further added that "Tagore is a global figure, but he remains a treasured symbol of India's soul. What we are witnessing is the ongoing marginalisation of Hindu Bengalis in Bangladesh, their identity, history, and legacy being systematically eroded. The international community cannot afford to remain indifferent. This is a moment that demands attention, condemnation, and action." Shocked over the incident, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to "kindly take up the matter very strongly with the neighbouring country's government, so that no stone is left unturned to swiftly bring to justice the perpetrators of this heinous and mindless act." Ms Banerjee mentioned in the letter that "For the people of Bengal, this is an attack on a shared legacy," and that "the invaluable treasure of Bengali language and literature owes significantly to the majestic contributions of Tagore." Rabindra Kutcherybari, now also known as the Rabindra Memorial Museum, was the administrative centre of the Tagore family estate. Purchased in 1840 by Dwarkanath Tagore, Rabindranath's grandfather for 13 rupees and 10 annas during an auction, this property was declared a protected archaeological site in 1969. Constructed in a distinct Indo-European architectural style, the house has seven main rooms, spacious corridors, and a large garden. It faces a river and is surrounded by open fields and greenery. The damaged auditorium is a 500-seat auditorium where many literary and cultural events are hosted - like the annual Rabindra Festival.
News18
13-06-2025
- Politics
- News18
‘Tagore Integral To Heritage': Bangladesh Forms Committee, Arrests 2 Over Poet's Ancestral Home Vandalism
Last Updated: The Department of Archaeology formed a three-member inquiry committee and ordered a report within five days. The Government of Bangladesh has confirmed legal action following a violent incident at Rabindranath Tagore's ancestral home in Shahzadpur, Sirajganj district. The site, managed by the Department of Archaeology, holds deep cultural significance as the Nobel Laureate's residence during the 1890s—where he penned several notable works including Sonar Tori and Chaitali. The unrest began with a dispute between museum staff and a visitor over a motorcycle parking fee. According to eyewitnesses, the situation escalated when the visitor and his family were allegedly confined and assaulted by staff members. As news of the altercation spread, local residents gathered in protest. What began as a peaceful demonstration quickly turned violent, with a mob storming the Rabindra Kachharibari premises and vandalising property, including the museum auditorium. One of the institution's directors was also reportedly assaulted. #Bangladesh revers Nobel Laureate #RabindranathTagore, as integral to 🇧🇩linguistic & cultural #heritage. People hold Tagore in highest esteem.🇧🇩Govt has acted promptly on an incident at the Govt-maintained property of his ancestral at👇🏼 — Ministry of Foreign Affairs (@BDMOFA) June 13, 2025 In response, the Department of Archaeology formed a three-member inquiry committee and ordered a report within five days. The site has since been closed to visitors for security reasons. On June 10, a criminal case was registered with local police, and two individuals were arrested in connection with the violence. The district administration has also launched a separate inquiry. 'The people and the Government of Bangladesh hold Poet Rabindranath Tagore in the highest of esteem and his contribution to our language, literature and culture is deeply revered," the release mentioned. 'The Government and the people of Bangladesh would continue to cherish his contributions and would like to reiterate that in the Bangladesh national and cultural space there is no scope for any divisive and motivated attempt to foment controversy on the subject, reaffirming its reverence for the iconic Bengali poet, the Government of Bangladesh stressed that Tagore is integral to the nation's cultural identity," it added.
Economic Times
12-06-2025
- Economic Times
Mob vandalises Rabindranath Tagore's ancestral mansion in Bangladesh, raises hateful slogans, watch viral video
Scuffle over parking fee triggers violence — amitmalviya (@amitmalviya) Mob vandalises auditorium, director assaulted Probe panel formed, visitor access suspended Live Events Historical significance of Kachharibari (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel A mob vandalised Rabindranath Tagore 's ancestral mansion in Bangladesh's Sirajganj district after a dispute over parking fees led to local unrest. The Department of Archaeology has suspended visitor entry and formed a three-member committee to investigate the incident, according to and June 8, a visitor arrived at the Rabindra Kachharibari, also known as Rabindra Memorial Museum, in Sirajganj with his family. A dispute broke out between the visitor and a staff member at the entrance over the parking fee for a motorcycle, as quoted by PTI, citing situation escalated when the visitor was allegedly locked inside an office room and physically assaulted. The incident sparked local anger, leading to a protest in the form of a human chain on June the protest, a mob stormed the museum premises and vandalised the auditorium of the Kachharibari. The attackers also reportedly assaulted a director of the response, the Department of Archaeology has set up a three-member committee to investigate the matter, as reported by BSS news agency. The committee has been asked to submit its report within five working Habibur Rahman, Custodian of the Kacharibari, told journalists, 'The authority has temporarily suspended the access of the visitors into the Kacharibari due to unavoidable circumstances.'Located in Shahzadpur in the Rajshahi division, the Kachharibari served as the Tagore family's revenue office and residence. Rabindranath Tagore, the Nobel laureate, wrote many of his notable literary works at this site.
