TDS Desk:

The Government has dismissed claims circulating in sections of the media that a house in Mymensingh, allegedly linked to the family of legendary Indian filmmaker and author Satyajit Ray, is being demolished by local authorities.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs clarified that the house in question, located near Shashi Lodge in Mymensingh, has no historical or familial connection with Satyajit Ray or his ancestors.

The clarification came amid growing speculation that the building once belonged to the Ray family, particularly to Satyajit Ray’s grandfather, the noted author Upendra Kishor Ray Chowdhury.

Quoting archival records, the ministry said the building was originally constructed by a local zamindar, Shashikant Acharya Chowdhury, for his staff. After the abolition of the zamindari system, the property was transferred to the government and later allocated to the Bangladesh Shishu Academy, which used it as its district office. The land is classified as non-agricultural government (khas) land and has been leased to the academy on a long-term basis.

Local land records, verified by the district authorities, also confirmed that the site has never been associated with the Ray family. Senior citizens and cultural figures in Mymensingh supported the claim, stating there is no known historical connection between the Ray family and the building.

While the road in front of the site is named after Harikishore Ray—Satyajit Ray’s great-grandfather and the adoptive father of Upendra Kishor Ray Chowdhury—the actual house that once belonged to the Ray family on that road no longer exists. It was sold years ago, and a multi-storey building has since been constructed in its place.

According to officials, the house now being demolished had long been abandoned and had become structurally unsafe. The Shishu Academy vacated the premises in 2014, relocating to a rented facility in the city. The abandoned building had turned into a hotspot for illegal activities, prompting authorities to plan for a new semi-permanent structure for the academy.

Following due process, including a public auction notice issued in national and local newspapers on 7 March 2025, the Bangladesh Shishu Academy granted approval for demolition.

On Wednesday afternoon, the Deputy Commissioner of Mymensingh held a meeting with senior citizens, cultural figures, and journalists to address the matter. During the discussion, noted local writer Kangal Shahin, Professor Bimal Kanti Dey, and poet Farid Ahmed Dulal all confirmed that the house had no connection to Satyajit Ray’s family.

Swapan Dhar, an archaeology researcher from Mymensingh, also reiterated that the structure holds no ancestral or archaeological value tied to the Ray family.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged all concerned to refrain from spreading “misleading or factually inaccurate narratives” that could cause confusion and disrupt social harmony.