Sylhet
From Freepedia
Sylhet district was established on January 3, 1782, and until 1878 it was part of Bengal province. In that year Sylhet was included in the newly created Assam province, and it remained as part of Assam up to 1947 (except during the brief break-up of Bengal province in 1905-11). In 1947, Sylhet became a part of East Pakistan as a result of a referendum (except the sub-division of Karimganj.)
Sylhet district had four sub divisions--Sylhet, Maulvi Bazar, Habiganj, and Sunamganj. All of the sub-divisions were converted into districts in 1983-84. In 1995, Sylhet was declared the 6th division of the country consisting of the four districts above. Sylhet is also the chief town of the division where the division headquarters as well as Sylhet district headquarters are located.
Sylhet is an ancient settlement. Many historians think that Sylhet or Sreehatta (enriched marketplace) was an expanded commercial center from the ancient period. In the 14th century a Muslim saint from Yemen Hazrat Shah Jalal and his comrades (reportedly numbering 360) triumphed Sylhet and began to spread Islam. Shah Jalal died in Sylhet; his tomb is a revered shrine in Bangladesh.
Places of interest include Stone monument of Jaintapur, Mound of Gharduara, Gaiyabi Mosque, tombs of Hazrat SHAH JALAL (R) and SHAH PARAN (R), Abu Torab Mosque, Nawabi Masque, Mughal Mosque at Akhalia, Dhaka Dakshmin Temple, Tin Mandir (trio temple).
Sylhet is noted as the home of most Bangladeshi migrants to the United Kingdom.
Sylhetis are also noted for speaking a markedly different dialect of Bengali which is sometimes difficult to understand for people used to standard Bengali.
The town of Sylhet is twinned with St Albans, United Kingdom.
Certain parts of the United Kingdom are heavily populated by people from Sylhet, namely Whitechapel in London which the home of Royal London Hospital and the Blind Beggar pub (where the notorious Kray brothers murdered someone).
External Links
More official information about Whitechapel may be found by visiting the local council website: http://www.towerhamlets.gov.uk
