Sylhet

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Sylhet সিলেট
Metropolis
Clockwise from the top: Downtown Sylhet, Sylhet Railway Station, Sylhet International Cricket Stadium, Tea garden in countryside, Shah Jalal Dargah, City Point.
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
Municipal Board	1867
Sylhet City Corporation	9 April 2001
Metropolitan city	31 March 2009[1]
Government
• Type	Mayor–Council
• Body	Sylhet City Corporation
• Mayor	Anwaruzzaman Chowdhury (AL)
• Police Commissioner	Md. Nisharul Arif
Area
• Urban	58 km2 (22 sq mi)
• Metro	518.43 km2 (200.17 sq mi)
Elevation	35 m (115 ft)
Population  (2011)
• Metropolis	1,316,467
• Density	19,865/km2 (51,450/sq mi)
Demonym	Sylheti
Time zone	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.gov.bd

Sylhet (Bengali: সিলেট; IPA: [sileʈ]) is a metropolitan city located in the northeastern region of Bangladesh. It is the administrative center of Sylhet Division and is situated on the banks of the Surma River. Sylhet is the fifth-largest city in Bangladesh, with a population of around 700,000 people.

Sylhet is known for its tea plantations and natural beauty.^[4] The city has a history dating back to the 14th century and has been ruled by various dynasties and empires, including the Mughals, British, and the Nawabs of Bengal. The city is also home to several important landmarks, such as the Shah Jalal Dargah, which is one of the holiest sites in Bangladesh and attracts thousands of pilgrims every year.^[5]

Sylhet is one of the most economically important cities in Bangladesh after Dhaka and Chittagong.^[6] Sylhet is a major commercial and financial center, and it 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 Bengalis, Tripuris, and other ethnic groups living together. The official language of Sylhet is Bengali, while Sylheti is the most spoken. English is widely spoken and understood because people from Sylhet form a significant portion of the Bangladeshi diaspora, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. According to The Daily Star, about 85% of Bangladeshi population in the UK comes from the Sylhet district.^[7] Sylhet has diverse transport infrastructure, with a modern airport, railway station, and bus terminals that connect it to other parts of the country.^[8] The city also has several educational institutions, including Sylhet Agricultural University, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, and Sylhet Cadet College.