He also appealed to the Bangladesh government to preserve the property.“I also call upon the Government of India to initiate appropriate bilateral engagement to ensure that this irreplaceable piece of Bengal’s cultural history is not lost to demolition,” he added.On Tuesday, Mamata Banerjee had similarly raised the issue in a post on X: “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.”Stating that the Ray family is one of the foremost bearers and carriers of Bengali culture, she added that 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 house. The Indian government should pay attention to this matter,” her post further stated.Reacting to the issue on Tuesday night, New Delhi issued a statement, noting that the property, presently owned by the Government of Bangladesh, is in a state of disrepair.“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,” the statement added.
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