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Sylhet সিলেট জেলা
District of Bangladesh
Sylhet District
From top: Lalakhal, Bichnakandi, Shah Jalal Dargah, Keane Bridge, view of Jaflong hills
Nickname: Holy Land/Land of 360 Awliyas
Location of Sylhet District in Bangladesh
Expandable map of Sylhet District
Coordinates: 24°53′N 91°52′E / 24.883°N 91.867°E / 24.883; 91.867
Country	Bangladesh
Division	Sylhet Division
Established	1772
Headquarters	Sylhet
Government
• Deputy Commissioner	Md. Mozibor Rahman
Area
• Total	3,452.07 km (1,332.85 sq mi)
Population
• Total	3,857,123
• Density	1,100/km (2,900/sq mi)
Demonym	Sylheti
Time zone	UTC+06:00 (BST)
Postal code	3100
Area code	0821
ISO 3166 code	BD-60
HDI (2018)	0.596 medium · 11th of 21
Website	sylhet.gov.bd

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Sylhet District (Bengali: সিলেট জেলা), located in north-east Bangladesh, is one of the four districts in Sylhet Division, which contains Sylhet, the regional capital.

History

Sylhet District was created in 1772 after this area was acquired by the British in 1767 and Mr. William Thackeray was appointed as the first collector. Current Sylhet District consists of 12 (Twelve) Upazilas. Sylhet District was established on 3 January 1782, and until 1878 it was part of Bengal Province under Dhaka Division. However, in that year, Sylhet was moved to the newly created Assam Province, and it remained as part of Assam up to 1947 (except during the administrative reorganisation of Bengal Province between 1905 and 1912). Sylhet District was divided into five subdivisions and the current Sylhet District was known as the North Sylhet subdivision. In 1947, Sylhet became a part of East Pakistan as a result of a referendum (except 31⁄2 thanas of Karimganj subdivision) as part of Chittagong Division. It was subdivided into four districts in 1983–84 with the current Sylhet District being known as North Sylhet. It became a part of Sylhet Division after its formation in 1995. Sylhet has played a vital role in the Bangladeshi economy. Several of Bangladesh's finance ministers have been Members of Parliament from the city of Sylhet.

Demographics

According to 2022 Census of Bangladesh, Sylhet district had 746854 households and a population of 3,857,123, 26.25% of whom lived in urban areas. The population density was 1,117 people per square kilometre. 20.29% were under 10 years of age. Sylhet district had a literacy rate of 76.43% (for 7 years and above), compared to the national average of 74.80%, and a sex ratio of 96.74 males per 100 females.

According to the census, Sylhet's literacy rate has increased to 76.43%. In contrast, it was 51.18% in 2011, 45.49% in 2001, and 33.85% in 1991. In Sylhet, 89.25% of students are enrolled in general education. Additionally, 7.95% are pursuing religious education, 0.40% are in technical education, and 2.40% are in other forms of education.

In 2022, 65.37% of people aged 15 and above have their own mobile phones. Moreover, 42.02% are internet users, and 31.87% have accounts in banks or financial institutions. The same percentage, 31.87%, also have mobile banking accounts.

According to the 1991 census, 12.99% of people in Sylhet had access to electricity. This increased to 35.14% in 2001 and 62.92% in 2011. As of the 2022 census, this figure has risen to 99.27%.

In terms of employment, 35.58% of Sylhet's population is engaged in agriculture. Additionally, 10.60% are involved in industry, while the remaining 53.82% are engaged in various services.

Religion in present-day Sylhet District

Religion	1941		1981		1981		2001		2011		2022
	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%
Islam	599,192	72.55%	1,619,937	91.12%	1,980,175	91.96%	2,365,728	92.57%	3,180,766	92.62%	3,570,400	92.57%
Hinduism	211,701	25.63%	151,809	8.54%	167,966	7.80%	186,565	7.30%	248,154	7.23%	282,904	7.33%
Tribal religion	14,360	1.74%	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Others	684	0.08%	6,038	0.34%	5,160	0.24%	3,273	0.13%	5,268	0.15%	2,998	0.08%
Total Population	825,937	100%	1,777,784	100%	2,153,301	100%	2,555,566	100%	3,434,188	100%	3,857,123	100%

According to the 2022 data, 92.57% of the total population in Sylhet are Muslims, 7.33% are Hindus. There is a population of 2,700 Christians mainly in Gowainghat and Jaintiapur upazilas. Ethnic population is 16,508 (0.43%), of which 2834 were Manipuri, 1,845 Patro and 1,530 Khasi.

Administration

Sylhet District is divided into thirteen upazilas.

The upazilas are:

• Balaganj
• Beanibazar
• Bishwanath
• Companiganj
• Dakshin Surma
• Fenchuganj
• Golapganj
• Gowainghat
• Jaintiapur
• Kanaighat
• Osmani Nagar
• Sylhet Sadar
• Zakiganj

Geography and climate

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.

The city is located within the region where there are hills and basins which constitute one of the most distinctive regions in Bangladesh. The physiography of Sylhet consists mainly of hill soils, encompassing a few large depressions known locally as "beels" which can be mainly classified as oxbow lakes, caused by tectonic subsidence primarily during the earthquake of 1762.

Geologically, the region is complex having diverse sacrificial geomorphology; high topography of Plio-Miocene age. Available limestone deposits in different parts of the region suggest that the whole area was under the ocean in the Oligo-Miocene. In the last 150 years three major earthquakes hit the city, at a magnitude of at least 7.5 on the Richter Scale, the last one took place in 1918, although many people are unaware that Sylhet lies on an earthquake prone zone.

Notable people

• M.A.G. Osmani Commander-in-Chief of the Mukti Bahini during the Liberation War.
• Md. Saifur Rahman former Finance and Planning Minister
• Shah Jalal, Sufi saint and mystic.
• Shah Paran, Sufi saint
• Shah Abdul Karim, Baul folk singer, composer.
• Swami Nikhilananda, Ramakrishna Math and Mission Order monk and founder-minister, Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Center, New York City 1933–1973
• Swami Gambhirananda, Ramakrish Math and Mission Order monk and president of the Order 1985–1988
• Nurul Islam Nahid, former Education Minister of Bangladesh
• Govinda Chandra Dev (1 February 1907 – 26 March 1971), known as G. C. Dev, was a professor of philosophy at the University of Dhaka. He was assassinated at the onset of Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971 by the Pakistan Army.
• Dr Abdul Malik, National Professor, Brigadier (rtd.), cardiologist, founder and president of National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh.
• Rushanara Ali, first Bangladeshi to be elected as an MP for the British parliament
• Ajmal Masroor, television presenter, politician and imam, parliamentary candidate for a UK Parliament constituency
• Lutfur Rahman, the first elected mayor of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets council
• Mukhlesur Rahman Chowdhury, former minister and adviser to the president of Bangladesh
• Humayun Rashid Choudhury, diplomat, UN General Assembly President, Awami League leader and former speaker of National parliament
• Dilwar Khan, poet
• Salman Shah, film actor, model
• Shuvro Dev, playback singer
• Syed Ahmed, businessman, British TV personality
• Badar Uddin Ahmed Kamran, Mayor of Sylhet City Corporation (2003–13)
• Enam Ali, restaurateur and founder of the British Curry Awards

See also

• Chowkideki
• Districts of Bangladesh
• List of colleges in Sylhet
• List of people from Sylhet
• Divisions of Bangladesh
• Upazila
• Thana

Notes

1. 1941 figures correspond to North Sylhet subdivision and Beanibazar thana of erstwhile Sylhet district, along with part of Karimganj thana. Projected 1941 religion figures for present-day Zakiganj Upazila (which at the time was a rural area of Karimganj thana) were obtained by using the ratio of current upazila population to the 2011 population of erstwhile Karimganj thana to estimate the 1941 population, and assuming religious demographics in rural areas were uniform across erstwhile Karimganj thana.
2. Including Jainism, Christianity, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Ad-Dharmis, or not stated

References

1. Report
2. "registered through Argeweb". Archived from the original on 26 February 2014.
3. ^ Population and Housing Census 2022 - District Report: Sylhet (PDF). District Series. Dhaka: Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. June 2024. ISBN 978-984-475-269-6.
4. "Sub-national HDI – Area Database – Global Data Lab". Retrieved 18 March 2020.
5. ^ Sirajul Islam; Miah, Sajahan; Khanam, Mahfuza; Ahmed, Sabbir, eds. (2012). "Sylhet District". Banglapedia: the National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Online ed.). Dhaka, Bangladesh: Banglapedia Trust, Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. ISBN 984-32-0576-6. OCLC 52727562. OL 30677644M. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
6. ^ "Bangladesh Population and Housing Census 2011 Zila Report – Sylhet" (PDF). Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.
7. "Census of India, 1941 Volume IX Assam Province" (PDF). 1941.
8. Monthly Averages for Sylhet, BGD Archived 1 July 2019 at the Wayback Machine MSN Weather. Retrieved 25 May 2009.
9. Siddiquee, Iqbal (10 February 2006). "Sylhet growing as a modern urban centre". Our Cities: 15th Anniversary Special. The Daily Star. Retrieved 25 May 2009.
10. "World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991-2020 — Sylhet". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 16 June 2024.
11. "Climate of Bangladesh" (PDF). Bangladesh Meteorological Department. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 December 2018. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
12. "Normal Monthly Humidity". Bangladesh Meteorological Department. Retrieved 31 January 2016.

External links

Media related to Sylhet District at Wikimedia Commons

v t e Sylhet District
Capital: Sylhet
Upazilas	Balaganj Beanibazar Bishwanath Companiganj Fenchuganj Golapganj Gowainghat Jaintiapur Kanaighat Osmani Nagar South Surma Sylhet Sadar Zakiganj
Constituencies	Sylhet-1 Sylhet-2 Sylhet-3 Sylhet-4 Sylhet-5 Sylhet-6
Attractions and sites	Ali Amjad's Clock Bangladesh Last House Citrus Research Center Ghayebi Dighi Masjid Hakaluki Haor Khadim Nagar National Park Madani Square Malnicherra Tea Estate Museum of Rajas' Osmani Museum Ratargul Swamp Forest Shah Jalal Dargah Sylhet Shahi Eidgah Tilagor Eco Park
Rivers	Barak Kushiyara Makunda Piyain Surma Sonai
Inhabited areas	Angura Muhammadpur Baghprachanda Khan Balaganj Bhadeshwar Bichnakandi Bimanbandar Thana Dayamir Ghorua Goalabazar Jaflong Karpara Kumargaon Lalakhal Machimpur Mathiura Purush Pal Nidhanpur Naodhar North Badepasha Amkuna Nurpur Rampasha Shahjalal Upashahar Sunampur Sripur Tajpur Tamabil Umarpur
Schools and colleges	The Aided High School Beani Bazar Government College Blue Bird High School and College Cambridge Grammar School & College Dhakadakshin Multilateral High School and College Kasim Ali Model High School Madan Mohan College Mathiura BL High School Murari Chand College Scholarshome Sylhet Engineering College Sylhet Government Pilot High School Sylhet Government Women's College Sylhet Polytechnic Institute
Madrasas	Ajiria Madrasa Badedeorail Fultali Kamil Madrasa Jamia Tawakkulia Renga Madrasah Sylhet Government Alia Madrasah
Universities	Leading University Metropolitan University, Sylhet North East University Shahjalal University of Science and Technology Sylhet International University Sylhet Agricultural University
Transport	Assam Bengal Railway Akhaura–Kulaura–Chhatak line Cherra Companyganj State Railways Kalni Express Keane Bridge N2 Osmani International Airport Parabat Express Sylhet railway station
Organisations	Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education Kendriya Muslim Sahitya Sangsad Srihatta Literary Society Sylhet City Corporation Sylhet Gas Fields Limited Sylhet Metropolitan Police
History	Hattanath Nidhanpur copperplate inscription Jaintia Kingdom Conquest of Sylhet Muharram Rebellion Earthquake of 1869 Earthquake of 1897 Nankar Rebellion Bangladesh Liberation War Adityapur massacre Battle of Sylhet Burunga massacre Galimpur massacre Shah Jalal bombing South Surma bombings
Military	Army Institute of Business Administration, Sylhet Jalalabad Cantonment Public School and College School of Infantry and Tactics Sylhet Cadet College Sylhet Light Infantry
Medicine	Jalalabad Ragib-Rabeya Medical College North East Medical College Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Sylhet Medical University Sylhet Women's Medical College
Economy	Beanibazar Gas Field Fenchuganj Combined Cycle Power Plant Fenchuganj Gas Field Jalalabad Gas Field Kailashtilla Gas Field Kumargaon Power Plant Shahjalal Fertiliser Factory Sylhet Gas Fields Limited
Sports	Beanibazar SC Sylhet District Stadium Sylhet International Cricket Stadium Sylhet Thunder

v t e Divisions and districts of Bangladesh
Barisal Division	Barguna Barishal Bhola Jhalokati Patuakhali Pirojpur
Chittagong Division	Bandarban Brahmanbaria Chandpur Chattogram Cumilla Cox's Bazar Feni Khagrachhari Lakshmipur Noakhali Rangamati
Dhaka Division	Dhaka Faridpur Gazipur Gopalganj Kishoreganj Madaripur Manikganj Munshiganj Narayanganj Narsingdi Rajbari Shariatpur Tangail
Khulna Division	Bagerhat Chuadanga Jashore Jhenaidah Khulna Kushtia Magura Meherpur Narail Satkhira
Mymensingh Division	Jamalpur Mymensingh Netrokona Sherpur
Rajshahi Division	Bogura Joypurhat Naogaon Natore Chapai Nawabganj Pabna Rajshahi Sirajganj
Rangpur Division	Dinajpur Gaibandha Kurigram Lalmonirhat Nilphamari Panchagarh Rangpur Thakurgaon
Sylhet Division	Habiganj Moulvibazar Sunamganj Sylhet

• Sylhet District
• Districts of Bangladesh
• Districts of Bangladesh established before 1971
• 1782 establishments in India
• 1782 establishments in the British Empire