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Sylhet District সিলেট জেলা | |
|---|---|
  .jpg)   From top clockwise:Lalakhal atBichnakandi,Ratargul Swamp Forest,Shah Jalal Dargah,Srimangal tea garden, view ofJaflong hills, | |
| Nickname: Holy Land/Land of 360 Awliyas | |
 Location of Sylhet District in Bangladesh | |
 Expandable map of Sylhet District | |
| Coordinates:24°53′N91°52′E / 24.883°N 91.867°E /24.883; 91.867 | |
| Country |  Bangladesh |
| Division | Sylhet Division |
| Established | 1782 |
| Headquarters | Sylhet |
| Government | |
| • Deputy Commissioner | Sarwar Alam[1] |
| Area | |
• Total | 3,452.07 km2 (1,332.85 sq mi) |
| Population | |
• Total | 3,857,123 |
| • Density | 1,117.34/km2 (2,893.89/sq mi) |
| Demonym | Sylhetis |
| Time zone | UTC+06:00 (BST) |
| Postal code | 3100 |
| Area code | 0821 |
| ISO 3166 code | BD-60 |
| HDI (2018) | 0.596[4] medium ·11th of 21 |
| Website | sylhet |
Sylhet District (Bengali:সিলেট জেলা), located in north-eastBangladesh, is one of the four districts inSylhet Division, which containsSylhet, the regional capital.
Sylhet District was established on 3 January 1782, and until 1878 it was part ofBengal Province underDhaka Division. However, in that year, Sylhet was moved to the newly createdAssam Province, and it remained as part ofAssam up to 1947 (except during the administrative reorganisation ofBengal 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 ofEast Pakistan as a result of areferendum (except 31⁄2 thanas ofKarimganj subdivision) as part ofChittagong Division.[5] It was subdivided into four districts in 1983–84 with the current Sylhet District being known as North Sylhet. It became a part ofSylhet Division after its formation in 1995. Sylhet has played a vital role in theBangladeshi economy. Several of Bangladesh's finance ministers have been Members of Parliament from the city of Sylhet.[5]
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 1,777,784 | — |
| 1991 | 2,153,301 | +1.93% |
| 2001 | 2,555,566 | +1.73% |
| 2011 | 3,434,188 | +3.00% |
| 2022 | 3,857,123 | +1.06% |
| Sources:[3][6] | ||
According to2022 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.[3]
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 were 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 had their own mobile phones. Moreover, 42.02% are internet users, and 31.87% had accounts in banks or financial institutions. The same percentage, 31.87%, also had 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.[3]
| Religion | Percent | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muslims | 92.57% | |||
| Hindus | 7.33% | |||
| Other or not stated | 0.10% | |||
| Religion | 1941[7]: 36–37 [a] | 1981[6] | 1981[6] | 2001[6] | 2011[6] | 2022[3] | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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% | N/a | N/a | N/a | N/a | N/a | N/a | N/a | N/a | N/a | N/a |
| Others[b] | 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 were Muslims, and 7.33% were 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 wereManipuri, 1,845 Patro and 1,530Khasi.[3]
Sylhet District is divided into thirteenupazilas.[5]
The upazilas are:
Sylhet has a typical Bangladeshitropical monsoon climate (KöppenAm) bordering on ahumid 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.[8]
Thephysiography of Sylhet consists mainly of hill soils, encompassing a few large depressions known locally as "beels" which can be mainly classified asoxbow lakes, caused by tectonic subsidence primarily duringthe earthquake of 1762.
Geologically, the region is complex, having diverse sacrificial geomorphology; high topography of Plio-Miocene age. 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 theRichter Scale, the last one took place in 1918, although many people are unaware that Sylhet lies on an earthquake prone zone.[9]
Shah Arefin Tila is a boulder-rich hill located inCompaniganj Upazila ofSylhet District,Bangladesh. It forms part of Sylhet's renowned 'white stone' zone and has both touristic and geological value. Stone extraction at the hill was officially banned in 2016 due to environmental concerns. Later, in 2025, theInterim Government of Muhammad Yunus suspended leases of 17 quarries nationwide, including Shah Arefin Tila.[10][11]
| Climate data for Sylhet (1991–2020, extremes 1952-present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 34.5 (94.1) | 35.0 (95.0) | 38.8 (101.8) | 40.5 (104.9) | 38.2 (100.8) | 39.6 (103.3) | 38.4 (101.1) | 37.9 (100.2) | 38.3 (100.9) | 37.2 (99.0) | 35.3 (95.5) | 31.3 (88.3) | 40.5 (104.9) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 25.6 (78.1) | 28.2 (82.8) | 31.2 (88.2) | 31.5 (88.7) | 31.4 (88.5) | 31.6 (88.9) | 32.2 (90.0) | 32.5 (90.5) | 32.3 (90.1) | 31.8 (89.2) | 29.7 (85.5) | 26.8 (80.2) | 30.4 (86.7) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 18.4 (65.1) | 20.8 (69.4) | 24.3 (75.7) | 26.0 (78.8) | 26.8 (80.2) | 27.6 (81.7) | 28.0 (82.4) | 28.2 (82.8) | 27.9 (82.2) | 26.7 (80.1) | 23.3 (73.9) | 19.7 (67.5) | 24.8 (76.6) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 9.8 (49.6) | 12.4 (54.3) | 17.4 (63.3) | 21.2 (70.2) | 23.0 (73.4) | 24.8 (76.6) | 25.3 (77.5) | 25.3 (77.5) | 24.8 (76.6) | 22.3 (72.1) | 16.6 (61.9) | 11.8 (53.2) | 19.6 (67.3) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 3.4 (38.1) | 8.8 (47.8) | 11.5 (52.7) | 14.0 (57.2) | 18.0 (64.4) | 18.0 (64.4) | 19.3 (66.7) | 22.3 (72.1) | 20.5 (68.9) | 16.5 (61.7) | 13.4 (56.1) | 8.0 (46.4) | 3.4 (38.1) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 7 (0.3) | 38 (1.5) | 127 (5.0) | 382 (15.0) | 590 (23.2) | 795 (31.3) | 723 (28.5) | 609 (24.0) | 496 (19.5) | 201 (7.9) | 25 (1.0) | 10 (0.4) | 4,003 (157.6) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 1 mm) | 1 | 3 | 7 | 15 | 22 | 26 | 28 | 26 | 20 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 161 |
| Averagerelative humidity (%) | 75 | 68 | 68 | 76 | 81 | 87 | 87 | 86 | 86 | 83 | 77 | 75 | 79 |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 212.2 | 210.6 | 223.2 | 196.1 | 178.6 | 121.9 | 132.8 | 145.1 | 148.7 | 218.9 | 242.9 | 238.0 | 2,269 |
| Source 1:NOAA[12] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2:Bangladesh Meteorological Department (humidity 1981-2010)[13][14] | |||||||||||||
Media related toSylhet District at Wikimedia Commons
Capital:Sylhet | ||
| Upazilas |  | |
| Constituencies | ||
| Attractions and sites | ||
| Rivers | ||
| Inhabited areas | ||
| Schools and colleges |
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| Madrasas | ||
| Universities | ||
| Transport | ||
| Organisations | ||
| History | ||
| Military | ||
| Medicine | ||
| Economy | ||
| Sports | ||
| Barisal Division |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Chittagong Division | ||
| Dhaka Division | ||
| Khulna Division | ||
| Mymensingh Division | ||
| Rajshahi Division | ||
| Rangpur Division | ||
| Sylhet Division | ||
| International | |
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| National | |
| Geographic | |
| Other | |
