Bricks from Ritwik Ghatak’s Ancestral Home Discovered 11 Kilometres Away in Ponds

In a significant cultural development, the long-lost bricks of legendary filmmaker Ritwik Ghatak’s ancestral home have finally been located, nearly eleven kilometres from Rajshahi city. The remnants, including broken walls and old bricks, were found submerged in a pond, raising concerns about the preservation of the filmmaker’s heritage.

A cultural activist inspecting the site near the pond, adjacent to another smaller pool, suddenly exclaimed upon handling the bricks: “These are from Ritwik Ghatak’s ancestral home!” The discovery comes after allegations surfaced last Tuesday, ahead of Victory Day, that the bricks had been removed from the dilapidated house and dumped in nearby water bodies by truck. Cultural workers in Rajshahi intervened, prompting the authorities to temporarily halt the removal. However, the whereabouts of the bricks remained unclear, sparking a city-wide search.

Earlier, truck driver Mr Waz had claimed the bricks were thrown “into a pond and onto the road,” after which he became unreachable. By Wednesday afternoon, journalists managed to contact him. He confirmed that one truckload of bricks had been dumped in a pond west of Barendra University near Kharkhari Bypass in Paba Upazila. Subsequently, a field visit verified their presence. Mr Waz also disclosed that two additional truckloads were dumped near a pond beside Rajshahi Nursing College.

Distribution of Bricks (Truckloads)

Mr Waz explained that the disposal was executed under a prior agreement between a person named Kabir and the college authorities. “One truck at Barendra University, two at the Nursing College, and one by another driver whose location I don’t know,” he clarified.

Attikur Rahman, executive member of the Rajshahi Ritwik Ghatak Film Society, examined the bricks on site, visibly distressed. “A legend’s home was demolished, and its very bricks hidden in ponds. Is this how we erase the memory of Ritwik Ghatak?” he questioned, adding that filling ponds with debris violates the law.

Ritwik Ghatak spent his early years in the Minya Para area of Rajshahi, attending Rajshahi Collegiate School and Rajshahi College. He engaged in theatre with literary icon Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay at the local library grounds and edited the literary magazine Abhidhara. His family also included the renowned author Mahasweta Devi.

The ancestral home was demolished on 5 August 2024, following the fall of the Awami League government, amid allegations implicating the neighbouring Rajshahi Homeopathic Medical College. Despite a committee investigation, no visible action has been taken. Historical records show that 34% of the property was leased to the college in 1989, and repeated efforts to preserve the site between 2019–2020 failed.

Ritwik Ghatak Film Society president Ahsan Kabir Liton emphasised the cultural value of the bricks: “Destroying history and heritage is no less than a crime. These bricks are not just construction material; they possess historical and artistic significance.”

The college authorities, however, stated that the brick relocation was approved by the management committee, and claims regarding pond disposal remain contested.