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BEACH
I
ARCHAEOLOGICAL
I
HISTORICAL
I
FOREST
&
JUNGLE
I
HILLS
&
ISLAND |
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Sylhet
is a
major
city
in
north-eastern
Bangladesh.
It
is
the
capital
of
Sylhet
Division
and
Sylhet
District,
and
as
of
31
March
2009
has
metropolitan
city
status.
Sylhet
is
located
on
the
banks
of
the
Surma
River
and
is
surrounded
by
the
Jaintia,
Khasi
and
Tripura
hills.
The
city
has
a
high
density
population,
with
nearly
500,000
people.
The
city
is
well
known
for
its
tea
gardens
tropical
forests,
and
its
business
boom—being
one
of
the
richest
cities
in
Bangladesh,
with
new
investments
of
hotels,
shopping
malls
and
luxury
housing
estates,
brought
mainly
by
expatriates
living
in
the
United
Kingdom,
where
many
originate
from
this
city.
The
city
is
described
as a
City
of
Saints,
the
mausoleum
of
the
greatn
saint
Hazrat
Shah
Jalal,
who
brought
Islam
to
Bengal
during
the
14th
century,
is
located
here. |
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History |
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Historians
believe
that
Sylhet,
was
an
expanded
commercial
center
from
the
ancient
period,
which
explains
its
original
namesake.
During
this
time,
Sylhet
was
probably
inhabited
by
Indo-Aryan
Brahmins,
though
ethnically
the
population
would
also
have
traces
of
Assamese.
It
has
also
been
suggested
that
Ancient
Kingdom
of
Harikela
was
situated
in
modern
Sylhet. |
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In
the
ancient
and
early
medieval
period,
Sylhet
was
ruled
primarily
by
local
chieftains
as
viceroy
of
the
kings
of
Pragjyotishpur.
There
is
evidence
to
suggest
that
the
Maharaja
Sri
Chandra,
of
northern
Bengal,
conquered
Bengal
in
the
10th
century,
although
this
is a
much
disputed
topic
amongst
Bangladeshi
historians
and
archaeologists.
This
was
a
period
of
relative
prosperity
and
there
is
little
evidence
to
suggest
this
was
marred
by
wars
or
feuds.
Sylhet
was
certainly
known
by
the
rest
of
India,
and
is
even
referred
to
in
the
ancient
Hindu
sacred
Tantric
text,
the
Shakti
Sangama
Tantra,
as 'Silhatta'.
The
last
chieftain
to
reign
in
Sylhet
was
Govinda
of
Gaur. |
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The
14th
century
marked
the
beginning
of
Islamic
influence
in
Sylhet.
A
messianic
Muslim
saint,
Hazrat
Shah
Jalal,
arrived
in
Sylhet
in
1303
from
Mecca
via
Delhi
and
Dhaka
with
the
instructions
for
aiding
Sikhander
Khan
Ghazi
in
defeating
Govinda
of
Gaur.
Sikhander
Khan
Ghazi
was
the
direct
nephew
of
sultan
Firoz
Shah
of
Delhi.
Under
the
spiritual
leadership
of
Hazrat
Shah
Jalal
and
his
360
companions
the
local
pagans
were
brought
under
control
and
they
began
to
spread
Islam.
He
died
in
Sylhet
in
or
around
the
year
1350.
His
shrine
is
located
inside
the
parameter
of
the
mosque
complex
known
as
Dargah-e-Shah
Jalal.
Even
today
Shah
Jalal
remains
revered;
visitors
arrive
from
all
over
Bangladesh
and
beyond
to
pay
homage.
Saints
such
as
Shah
Jalal
or
even,
Shah
Paran
were
responsible
for
the
conversion
of
most
of
the
populace
from
native
religion
of
Hinduism
or
Buddhism
to
Islam.
Shortly
thereafter,
Sylhet
became
a
centre
of
Islam
in
Bengal.
In
the
official
documents
and
historical
papers,
Sylhet
was
often
referred
to
as
Jalalbad
during
the
era
of
the
Muslim
rule. |
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In
the
late
18th
century,
the
British
East
India
Company
became
interested
in
Sylhet
and
saw
it
as
an
area
of
strategic
importance
in
the
war
against
Burma.
Sylhet
gradually
was
absorbed
into
British
control
and
administration
and
was
governed
as a
part
of
Bengal.
After
the
British
administrative
reorganization
of
India,
Sylhet
was
eventually
incorporated
into
Assam.
It
remained
a
part
of
Assam
for
the
rest
of
the
era
of
British
rule.
In
1947,
following
a
referendum,
almost
all
of
erstwhile
Sylhet
became
a
part
of
East
Pakistan,
barring
the
Karimganj
subdivision
which
was
incorporated
into
the
new
Indian
state
of
Assam.
In
1971,
Sylhet
became
part
of
the
newly
formed
independent
country
of
Bangladesh. |
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Sylhet
has
a
"friendship
link"
with
the
city
of
St
Albans,
in
the
United
Kingdom.
The
link
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. |
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