New Delhi/Kolkata: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Tuesday expressed deep regret over reports that the ancestral home of legendary filmmaker and writer Satyajit Ray in Mymensingh, Bangladesh, originally owned by his grandfather and noted litterateur Upendrakishore Ray Chowdhury, will be demolished.

"We note with profound regret that the ancestral property of noted filmmaker and litterateur Satyajit Ray in Mymensingh, Bangladesh, belonging to his grandfather and eminent litterateur, Upendra Kishor Ray Chowdhury, is being demolished. The property, presently owned by the Government of Bangladesh, is in a state of disrepair," the MEA said in a statement.

"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 ministry added.

Earlier, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had sought the intervention of both the Indian and Bangladeshi governments over the demolition of the historic structure. In a statement posted on X, she said, “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.”

Banerjee added that media reports of the demolition were “heartbreaking” and highlighted the family's profound cultural legacy, which includes poet Sukumar Ray and his son, Oscar-winning filmmaker Satyajit Ray.

According to Bangladeshi daily The Daily Star, the building—constructed over a century ago—once housed the Mymensingh Shishu Academy but had been abandoned for over a decade. Authorities now plan to construct a new semi-concrete structure on the site to revive academy activities, the report quoted Md Mehedi Zaman, the district Children Affairs Officer, as saying.

The incident follows another similar concern raised by Banerjee in June, when she wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi about alleged vandalism at Rabindranath Tagore’s ancestral home in Sirajganj, Bangladesh, urging prompt diplomatic intervention.