Vacant for 14 years: Oscar-winning filmmaker Satyajit Ray’s ancestral site guest house remains unused despite 7 million taka investment

KOTIADI, KISHOREGANJ — Fourteen years after its construction, a government-funded guesthouse built for tourists visiting the ancestral home of Oscar-winning filmmaker Satyajit Ray remains virtually unused. Despite a 7 million taka investment, the facility in Masua village has never hosted a paying tourist, leaving its guest registry entirely blank.

The guesthouse was commissioned by the Bangladesh Tourism Corporation in 2011 to accommodate visitors traveling to the historic residence in Masua Union, which is overseen by the Department of Archaeology. Officials identified a lack of adequate lodging in the Kotiadi Upazila as a barrier to tourism, leading to the development of the two-story structure, boundary walls, and surrounding infrastructure. Of the total budget, 5.2 million taka was allocated specifically for construction and furnishings.

Although the facility was inaugurated in mid-2012, it has remained largely shuttered. Sanjit Chandra Das, a cleaner at the local Union Land Office, holds the keys to the building but receives no additional compensation for the responsibility. Das, whose home is nearby, noted that the facility has never operated as a functional hotel for tourists, though it has occasionally accommodated government officials during administrative visits or elections.

During a site inspection on August 13, the guesthouse was found behind a locked gate. Despite recent renovations, the interior showed no signs of consistent use. Local residents reported that the building fell into disrepair during long periods of abandonment, with reports of stolen electrical wiring, damaged furnishings, and failing water systems. The site previously became a hub for drug users before recent efforts were made to restore it, primarily to facilitate the arrival of high-ranking officials during Prime Minister Tareq Rahman’s visit on August 16.

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Tourists visiting the Satyajit Ray estate have expressed frustration over the lack of hospitality services. Sabbir Ahmed and Kabir Mia, visitors from Hossainpur, remarked that the facility serves as a testament to the lack of proper management, stating that building infrastructure is insufficient without a commitment to maintenance and service.

The administration has failed to create dedicated caretaker positions to manage the property, a point of contention that local officials claim has been raised with the Bangladesh Tourism Corporation multiple times. When contacted for comment, Khalid Mehdi Hasan, General Manager (Administration) of the Bangladesh Tourism Corporation, deferred inquiries to the Public Relations Manager, Akhtar Ahmed, who did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

Kotiadi Upazila Executive Officer (UNO) Shamima Afroze defended the status of the building, claiming that the lack of guests was due to low demand, though she noted that some media personnel had recently stayed there. She stated that with the current repairs completed, the facility is now open to the public. However, Masua Union Parishad Chairman Abu Bakar Siddique stated he intends to bring the issue of staffing and management before the next Upazila committee meeting to demand a resolution.