Sylhet

Coordinates: 24°53′N 91°52′E / 24.883°N 91.867°E / 24.883; 91.867
From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sylhet
ꠡꠤꠟꠦꠐ (Silēţ)
Sylhet City Corporation
Location of Sylhet ꠡꠤꠟꠦꠐ (Silēţ)
Coordinates: 24°53′N 91°52′E / 24.883°N 91.867°E / 24.883; 91.867
DivisionSylhet Division
DistrictSylhet District
Metropolitan city status31 March 2009[1]
Sylhet City Corporation9 April 2001
Municipal Board1867
Government
 • MayorBadar Uddin Ahmed Kamran (Awami League)
Area
 • Total26.50 km2 (10.23 sq mi)
Population
 (2008)[2]
 • Total463,198
 • Density17,479/km2 (45,270/sq mi)
 • Demonym
Sylheti
 • Ethnicity[3]
99% Bengali
1% Manipuri Khasi and others
Demographics
 • LanguagesSylheti, Bengali, English
 • Literacy rate70%
Time zoneUTC+6 (BST)
Post code
3100
WebsiteOfficial website

Sylhet is a major city in north-eastern Bangladesh. It is the main city of Sylhet Division and Sylhet District. It was given metropolitan city status in March 2009.[1] Sylhet is on the banks of the Surma Valley. It is surrounded by the Jaintia, Khasi and Tripura hills. The city has almost 500,000 people. It is one of the largest cities in Bangladesh. The Sylhet region is well known for its tea gardens and tropical forests. Sylhet is one of the richest cities in Bangladesh.[4]

The city is called a City of Saints.[5] There is the mausoleum of the great saint Hazrat Shah Jalal, who brought Islam to Bengal during the 14th century.[6]

References[change | change source]

  1. 1.0 1.1 "Bangladesh clamps down on beggars" BBC News 2 April 2009, accessed 2 April 2009
  2. Statistical Pocket Book of Bangladesh Archived 2009-04-19 at the Wayback Machine Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. January 2009. Retrieved on 26 May 2009.
  3. Current Situation - Past and Present - Sylhet, Bangladesh Archived 2009-06-29 at the Wayback Machine Ethnic Community Development Organization. Retrieved on 30 May 2009.
  4. Syed Zain Al-Mahmood (28 November 2008) Bondor Bazar to Brick Lane Star Weekend Magazine - The Daily Star (Volume 7 Issue 47). Retrieved on 26 May 2009.
  5. Shah Jalal (R). Banglapedia. Retrieved 2007-06-05.
  6. V.C. Pandey (2006).Environment, Security and Tourism Development in South Asia: Tourism development in South Asia. Gyan Publishing House. pp. 113-114.