The Bangladesh interim government on Thursday dismissed reports that auteur Satyajit Ray’s ancestral home in Mymensingh district had been demolished. The administration said the building in question had no connection with Ray’s family and was never owned by them.

“The disputed structure was built by local zamindar Shashikant Acharya Chowdhury. After the abolition of the zamindari system in the country, the property came under state control and was allocated to the Bangladesh Shishu Academy,” the interim government said in a statement.

It added that the land was non-agricultural government (Khas) land and had been leased to the Shishu Academy on a long-term basis.

“The District Authorities have reviewed the land records related to the house and confirmed that, as per the past records the land belongs to the government and has no association with the Ray family whatsoever. Local senior citizens and respected individuals from various communities also attested that there is no known historical connection between the Ray family and the house and land currently leased to the Shishu Academy. The house is not listed as an archaeological monument, either,” the statement said.

The government clarified that the Ray family did own a separate house on Harikishore Ray Road in Mymensingh. The road was named after Harikishore Ray, Satyajit’s great-grandfather and the adoptive parent of Upendra Kishor Ray Chowdhury, Satyajit’s grandfather.

“However, that house was sold long ago and no longer exists. A multi-storey building now stands at that site,” the statement said.

The government response came hours after a senior police officer denied any connection between the demolished house and the Ray family.

Speaking to India Today TV, Mymensingh’s deputy commissioner Mofidul Alam said local authorities had conducted a detailed investigation.

“We held a meeting on Wednesday to verify the government records of the said property. We also spoke to local elders and checked historical documents. The house that was being demolished used to be the office of the Mymensingh Children’s Academy. There are no records to prove it has any links to Satyajit Ray’s ancestors,” Alam said.

He further added, “We have ascertained that Ray’s ancestral property is still intact. We have spoken to its current owner, who confirmed that he purchased the property directly from Ray’s family and has the documents to prove it. The adjacent building that is being demolished is being mistakenly identified as Ray’s ancestral home.”

The Shishu Academy shifted its operations elsewhere in 2014, and the house had remained unused since.

“Various anti-social activities were taking place there,” said the interim government.

In 2024, the authorities decided to build a semi-permanent structure in place of the old house, following approval from the Shishu Academy. The demolition was announced on March 7.

The foreign ministry said, “Local elders and scholars have also said the same about the history of the house, which has become the center of controversy overnight.”

It noted that the deputy commissioner met several prominent figures, including poets and archaeological experts, on Wednesday. “Each of them requested to quickly demolish the old house and build a new building for the academy in the interest of the children of Mymensingh,” the statement said.

Several media reports had claimed that the house being demolished was the century-old residence of Upendrakishore Ray Chowdhury.

Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee had expressed concern over the alleged demolition and urged the Indian government to take up the issue with Dhaka.

The Indian government on Tuesday night said the house in question required renovation and proposed converting it into a literary exhibition space. It also offered financial assistance for preservation.

Ray, one of India’s most celebrated filmmakers and an Oscar winner, received the Bharat Ratna. His family, known for contributions to literature and publishing, remains an integral part of Bengal’s cultural history.