Sylhet

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Sylhet ꠖꠤꠟꠐ Sylot
Metropolis
Downtown Sylhet Keane Bridge and Ali Amzad's Clock Sylhet International Cricket Stadium Shah Jalal Dargah
Sylhet Location of Sylhet in Bangladesh Show map of Sylhet division Sylhet Sylhet (Bangladesh) Show map of Bangladesh
Coordinates: 24°54′N 91°52′E / 24.900°N 91.867°E / 24.900; 91.867
Country	Bangladesh
Division	Sylhet Division
District	Sylhet, Habiganj, Moulvibazar, Sunamganj
Municipal Board	1867
Sylhet City Corporation	9 April 2001
Metropolitan city	31 March 2009[1]
Government
• Type	Mayor–Council
• Body	Sylhet City Corporation
• Administrator	Abu Ahmad Siddiqui
• Chief Executive Officer	Md. Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury
• City Council	42 constituencies
• Parliament	1 constituencies
Area
• Urban	58.74 km2 (22.68 sq mi)
• Metro	177.81 km2 (68.65 sq mi)
Elevation	26 m (85 ft)
Population  (2022)[2]
• Urban	712,288
• Urban density	12,000/km2 (31,000/sq mi)
• Metro	896,331
• Metro density	5,000/km2 (13,000/sq mi)
Demonym	Sylheti
Time zone	UTC+6 (BST)
Postal code	3100
HDI (2022)	0.669[3] average · 9th of 20
International airport	Osmani International Airport
Regional Calling code	+880821
Police	Sylhet Metropolitan Police
Website	scc.gov.bd

Sylhet (Sylheti: ꠖꠤꠟꠐꠤ; IPA: [sileʈ]) is a metropolitan city in the north eastern region of Bangladesh. It serves as the administrative center for both the Sylhet District and the Sylhet Division. The city is situated on the banks of the Surma River and, as of 2024, has a population of 999,374^{[citation needed]} making it the Third-largest city in Bangladesh.

Sylhet is known for its tea plantations and natural scenery.^[5] The region has been inhabited since ancient times, and since the city's establishment in the 14th century has been ruled by various dynasties including the Mughals, the British, and the Nawabs of Bengal. The city is also home to several important landmarks, such as one of the Islamic sites in Bangladesh, the Shah Jalal Dargah, which attracts thousands of pilgrims annually.^[6] Sylhet is also the first city in the country to have a road with no overhead cable.^[7]

Sylhet is one of the most economically important cities in Bangladesh after Dhaka and Chittagong.^[8] A major commercial and financial center, Sylhet is home to several multinational companies and industries, including the tea industry, which generates a significant amount of revenue for the city. The city has a diverse population, with Sylhetis, Bengalis, Manipuris and other ethnic groups living together. Sylhet has diverse transport infrastructure, with a modern airport, railway station, and bus terminals that connect it to other parts of the country.^[9] The city also has several educational institutions, including Sylhet Agricultural University, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology and Sylhet Cadet College.