The ancestral house of subcontinental writer Upendra Kishore Roy Chowdhury has been demolished. The house, which was previously used as the Mymensingh Shishu Academy, is being demolished to make way for a new semi-concrete structure.
Upendra Kishore was the father of renowned poet Sukumar Ray and grandfather of filmmaker Satyajit Ray.
Located on Harikishor Roy Chowdhury Road in the city, this century-old house is associated with the legacy of the famous Roy family, whose contribution to Bengali literature and art is considered the foundation. Harikishor Roy Chowdhury himself was the ancestor of Upendra Kishore, Sukumar and Satyajit.
The house, located just behind Shashi Lodge, is one of the major archaeological sites in the region. The house, which has been neglected for years, has deteriorated.
Local residents say that the demolition will erase the legacy of the Roy dynasty in Mymensingh city.
According to the archaeology department, Upendra Kishore, a famous landlord of Mosuwar in Kishoreganj's Katiadi upazila, built the house more than a century ago.
After the partition of 1947, the property came under government ownership and was reused as the Mymensingh Shishu Academy in 1989. District Children's Affairs Officer Md. Mehedi Zaman said that the house has been abandoned for 10 years. The Shishu Academy's activities are being conducted from a rented space, which will later become the Shishu Academy Bhaban.
The official added that the building was demolished as per the proper procedure and necessary approvals.
He said that a semi-concrete building with several rooms will be constructed to start the academy's activities.
When asked why the historically important building, located on 36 decimals of land, is being demolished, the official said that the building poses a serious risk to children.
Expressing regret, poet Shamim Ashraf said, "The house was in a pitiful state for years, the roof was cracked but the authorities concerned never looked into the rich history behind the old building," he added.
He added that the locals had demanded to save the building at various times but to no avail.
Sabina Yasmin, field officer of the Archaeology Department (Dhaka and Mymensingh Divisions) attached to Shashi Lodge, said that the house is not yet listed by the department, but according to the survey, it is an archaeological heritage. The officer said that he had spoken to the officials of Shishu Academy and the administration about the matter and requested to save the building but to no avail.
