Sylhet District (Sylhet division) with an area of 3490.40 sq km, is bounded by the Khasia-Jainta hills of India on the north, maulvi bazar district on the south, Kachhar and Karimganj districts of India on the east, sunamganj and habiganj districts on the west. Annual maximum temperature is 33.2°C and minimum is 13.6°C; annual rainfall 3334 mm. Main river is surma and kushiyara. haors 82; Shingua Beel (12.65 sq km) and Chatla Beel (11.86 sq km) are notable; reserve forest 236.42 sq km. Parts of Khasia and Jainta hills are included in this district. Notable tilas and hills are Jaintapur (54 m), Sary Tila (92 m), Lalkhan Tila (135 m), Dhaka Daksmin Tila series (77.7 m).

Sylhet (Town) consists of 27 wards and 210 mahallas. The area of the town is 10.49 sq km. It has a population of 285308; male 54.68%, female 45.32%; density of population is 27198 per sq km. Literacy rate among the town people is 66.9%. The rapid growth and expansion of Sylhet occurred during the colonial period. Sylhet Municipality was established in 1878. A devastated earthquake demolished almost the entire town on 12 June 1897. On the wreckage a modern and European model new town was built later on. Many new roads were constructed in late 1890s. Sylhet became really connected to the other parts of the country with the establishment of an extension line of Asam-Bengal Railway in 1912-15. From the very beginning of the 20th century, importance of Sylhet town increased with the establishment of tea industry. In 1950s and 1960s, rapid urbanisation took place in the town by the expatriate Syleties and still the process is going on. At present, Sylhet is the district-headquarter as well as the divisional headquarter.



Administration Sylhet district was established on 3 January 1782. Until 1878, Sylhet was under the jurisdiction of dhaka division. In the same year, Sylhet was included in the newly created Asam Province. Up to 1947 (excepting the Banga Bhanga period of 1905-1911) it remained a part of Asam. In 1947, as a result of a referendum, it was attached to the East Pakistan and was included in the Chittagong Division. The greater Sylhet was divided into four new districts viz Sylhet, Sunamganj, Habiganj and Maulvi Bazar in 1983-84. On 1 August 1995 Sylhet was declared as the 6th division of the country consisting of the four districts of the greater Sylhet. Sylhet district consists of 11 upazilas, 2 municipalities, 37 wards, 233 mahallas, 98 union parishads, 1693 mouzas and 3249 villages. The upazilas are balaganj, beanibazar, bishwanath, companiganj, fenchuganj, golabganj, gowainghat, jaintiapur, kanaighat, sylhet sadar and zakiganj.