Film Society Urges Preservation of Ritvik Ghatak’s Ancestral Home in Rajshahi Tribute

A three-day discussion and film exhibition honoring the legendary subcontinental filmmaker Ritvik Kumar Ghatak has commenced in Rajshahi, organized around his 99th birth anniversary. With the theme “Art Means War to Me,” the event opened on Monday evening (November 4) at Ritvik’s ancestral home in Miapara, Rajshahi.

The ceremony was presided over by Mahmud Hossain Masud, General Secretary of the Ritvik Ghatak Film Society, Rajshahi. Notable attendees included filmmaker Akram Khan, who spoke at the event, and honored guests linguist Mosharraf Hossain Akhunji, Professor Abdullah Al Mamun from the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism at Rajshahi University, and senior journalist and advocate Mustafizur Rahman Khan Alam.

Speakers emphasized that Ritvik Kumar Ghatak was more than a filmmaker; he was a guiding light for aspiring directors. They lamented the demolition of his residence, calling it an attempt to erase his memory. The speakers demanded the preservation of the remaining part of Ritvik’s ancestral home, suggesting that a Ritvik Museum or Ritvik Complex should be established on the site to honor his legacy. They urged that those responsible for the residence’s demolition be held accountable.

The speakers further called for all admirers of Ritvik to unite in their efforts to preserve his memory for future generations.