Capital of Sylhet region, NE Bangladesh;
population (1981) 168,000. It is a
tea-growing centre and also produces rice,
jute, and sugar. There is natural gas nearby.
It is the former capital of a Hindu kingdom
and was conquered by Muslims in the 14th
century. In the 1971 civil war, which led to
the establishment of Bangladesh, it was the
scene of heavy fighting.