Sylhet
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|
Sylhet
সিলেট | |
---|---|
UTC+6 (BST) | |
Postal code | 3100 |
HDI (2019) | 0.631[2] medium |
International airport | Osmani International Airport |
Regional Calling code | +880821 |
Police | Sylhet Metropolitan Police |
Website | scc |
Sylhet (Bengali: সিলেট; IPA: [sileʈ]) is a metropolitan city located in the northeastern region of Bangladesh. It is the administrative center of Sylhet Division. It is situated on the banks of the Surma River. The city has a population of approximately 700,000 people, making it the fifth-largest city in Bangladesh.
Sylhet is known for its tea plantations and natural beauty.
Sylhet is one of the most economically important cities in Bangladesh after
Etymology and names
Sylhet is the
History
In 1303, the Sultan of Lakhnauti
Modern history
In 1995, the Government of Bangladesh declared Sylhet as the sixth
In 2001, the municipality was upgraded to the Sylhet City Corporation. It was made a metropolitan city in 2009.[16]
Geography and climate
Sylhet is located at 24°53′30″N 91°53′00″E / 24.8917°N 91.8833°E, in the northeastern region of Bangladesh within the Sylhet Division, the Sylhet District and Sylhet Sadar Upazila. Sylhet has a typical Bangladeshi tropical monsoon climate (Köppen Am) bordering on a humid subtropical climate (Cwa) at higher elevations. The rainy season starts from April to October and it is so hot and humid with very heavy showers and thunderstorms almost every day, whilst the short dry season starts from November to February and it is very warm and fairly clear. Nearly 80% of the annual average rainfall of 4,200 millimetres (170 in) occurs between May and September.[18]
The city is located within the region where there are hills and basins which constitute one of the most distinctive regions in Bangladesh. The
Geologically, the region is complex having diverse sacrificial geomorphology; high topography of Plio-
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 25.2 (77.4) |
27.1 (80.8) |
30.4 (86.7) |
30.8 (87.4) |
30.8 (87.4) |
30.9 (87.6) |
30.9 (87.6) |
31.6 (88.9) |
31.2 (88.2) |
30.9 (87.6) |
29.2 (84.6) |
26.3 (79.3) |
29.6 (85.3) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 12.9 (55.2) |
14.2 (57.6) |
18.1 (64.6) |
20.8 (69.4) |
22.6 (72.7) |
24.4 (75.9) |
24.9 (76.8) |
25.0 (77.0) |
24.3 (75.7) |
22.5 (72.5) |
18.4 (65.1) |
14.0 (57.2) |
20.2 (68.3) |
Average rainfall mm (inches) | 8 (0.3) |
31 (1.2) |
146 (5.7) |
372 (14.6) |
569 (22.4) |
796 (31.3) |
834 (32.8) |
621 (24.4) |
548 (21.6) |
232 (9.1) |
30 (1.2) |
13 (0.5) |
4,200 (165.1) |
Source: WMO[20] |
Administration
Sylhet is divided into 6 metropolitan thanas(police station) and consists of 42 wards and 1224 mahallas. The thanas are:
- Bimanbandar Thana
- Kotwali Thana
- Jalalabad Thana
- Dakshin Surma Thana
- Mogla Bazar Thana
- Shah Paran Thana
It is a small city with an area of 190.50 km2.[21] The rapid growth and expansion of Sylhet occurred during the colonial period. Sylhet Municipality was established in 1878. A devastating earthquake demolished almost the entire town on 12 June 1897 following which a modern and European model new town was built on the wreckage. Many new roads were constructed in the late 1890s and Sylhet became really connected to the other parts of the country with the establishment of an extension line of Assam Bengal Railway in 1912–15. From the beginning of the 20th century, the importance of Sylhet increased with the establishment of the tea industry. In the 1950s and 1960s, rapid urbanisation took place in the town, fostered by the expatriate Sylhetis and the process is still ongoing.
On 10 April 2001, Sylhet was changed to a city corporation from a municipal board, and currently the city is administered by the Sylhet City Corporation. At present, Sylhet is the district-headquarters as well as the divisional headquarters of the districts of Sunamganj, Habiganj, Moulvibazar and Sylhet District. The Sylhet City Corporation is responsible for the services that are provided within the city which includes traffic, roads, garbage collection, water supply, registrations and many others. The corporation consists of the Mayor and 22 other commissioners, and focuses on the development of the city.[22]
Military
Sylhet is strategically important for the
Healthcare
Sylhet is also home to many hospitals such as the Shahid Shamsuddin Hospital District Hospital, Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College, Jalalabad Ragib-Rabeya Medical College, North East Medical College, Sylhet Women's Medical College, Parkview Medical College, Ibn Sina Hospital Sylhet Ltd, Noorjahan Hospital (pvt) Ltd, Oasis Hospital, Mount Adora Hospital, Square Medical Service, Popular Medical Service, Medinova Medical Service, Labaid Ltd, the Al Haramain Hospital,[24] and the Mohanagar Hospital.[citation needed]
In 2018, a medical university called Sylhet Medical University was established in the city. According to the Prime Minister's order to strictly monitor whether medical standards are being properly maintained in medical colleges, a medical university will be set up in each division. According to the order, Chittagong and Rajshahi Medical University have already been established. Sylhet Medical University is the 4th Medical University of the directive.[25][26]
Demographics
According to the
(2001). The total number of households was 97,991.The majority of the population are Bengali Muslims of Sylheti background, while there are significant minority groups which includes the Bengali Hindus, Bishnupriya Manipuri and others.[30] Sylheti is spoken by the vast majority of the people, while Standard Bengali is the official language used by the state government and officials.[31][32][33]
The majority of Sylhetis are Muslims (87.3%), other religious groups include Hindus (12.5%) and less than 0.2% of other religions, mainly
Economy
The Sylhet Metropolitan Area is one of Bangladesh's main business centres. Sylhet's economy is closely linked with the
Sylhet's
Two Bangladeshi
Utility
Sylhet has high rates of electric power shortage and water shortage. According to the Power Development Board, as of 2009 Sylhet was only receiving 50
Culture
The cultural identity of Sylhet has been shaped by a blend of indigenous practices, Sufi influences, and the assimilation of diverse communities. Sylhet is also known for its music scene, and it is home to several renowned musicians and artists.[citation needed] The city has a rich literary tradition, and it has produced several notable writers and poets, including Syed Mujtaba Ali and Humayun Ahmed.
Cuisine
Sylheti cuisine is known for its distinct flavors and aromatic dishes. Pitha (rice cakes), shorshe ilish (hilsa fish in mustard sauce), shatkora beef, and doi chira (flattened rice with yogurt) are some popular delicacies. The region's love for tea is evident in its numerous tea gardens and the consumption of "seven-layer tea," a unique layered beverage.
Sports
Cricket is the most popular sport in Sylhet.
Transport
The main transport systems used in the city are
The
Air
The city of Sylhet is served by Osmani International Airport, located at the north of the city. It is Bangladesh's third busiest airport and became an international airport due to the demand of expatriate Bangladeshis and their descendants from the United Kingdom and the United States. The main frequent airlines of the airport are Biman Bangladesh Airlines, US-Bangla Airlines and Novoair.
The airport received its first international arrival on 3 November 2002, with Biman arriving from Kuwait via Abu Dhabi en route to Dhaka.[49] Meanwhile, it received first direct international arrival on 15 March 2017 as a direct flight of Dubai based carrier Flydubai landed at the airport.[50] Work started in 2006 to upgrade the airport to international standards, including a new terminal building, a jetway, a taxiway, and expansion of the runway to accommodate wide-bodied aircraft.[51] It was confirmed that in May 2007, Biman will be operating Hajj flights directly from the airport later in 2007.[52] Biman Bangladesh operates direct flight to London from Sylhet.[53] All Bangladeshi airlines operate regular domestic flights to Dhaka and Biman operates regular domestic flights to Cox's Bazar.[54]
The government has decided to construct a 34,919 square-metre high-quality international passenger terminal building, cargo building, control tower, parking, taxiway and other important infrastructures to meet the growing demand in line with the increase of passengers and cargo transportation at the airport. Work started in 2020.[55][56]
Rail
The Sylhet Railway Station is the main railway station providing trains on national routes operated by the state-run Bangladesh Railway. Some important train that origins/terminates:
Towards Dhaka
Train No. | Train Name | Train Type | Departures |
---|---|---|---|
710 | Parabat Express | Intercity | Daily (except Tue) |
718 | Jayantika Express | Intercity | Daily |
740 | Upaban Express | Intercity | Daily |
774 | Kalni Express | Intercity | Daily (except Fri) |
10 | Surma Mail | Daily |
Towards Chittagong
Train No. | Train Name | Train Type | Departures |
---|---|---|---|
724 | Udayan Express | Intercity | Daily (except Fri) |
720 | Paharika Express | Intercity | Daily (except Fri) |
14 | Jalalabad Express | Daily |
Towards Akahura
Train No. | Train Name | Train Type | Departures |
---|---|---|---|
18 | Kushiara Express | Daily |
Education
There are two public universities in Sylhet:
Notable people
International relations
Sylhet had friendly relations with:
The friendship link with St Albans was established in 1988 when the District council supported a housing project in Sylhet as part of the International Year of Shelter for the Homeless. Sylhet was chosen because it is the area of origin for the largest ethnic minority group in St Albans.[60]
In March 2009, the Mayor of Sylhet, Badar Uddin Ahmed Kamran, signed a Memorandum of Understanding to form another friendship link between Sylhet and Rochdale, home to around 10,000 people with Sylhet heritage, with the Mayor of Rochdale Cllr Keith Swift at the Sylhet City Corporation.[citation needed]
Twin towns – sister cities
Sylhet is twinned with:
See also
- Sylheti language
- Sylheti Nagari
- Barak Valley
References
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External links
- Sylhet travel guide from Wikivoyage
- Official website of Sylhet City Corporation
- Sylhet Tourist Places Video