Sullah Upazila Explained

Official Name:Sullah
শাল্লা
Settlement Type:Upazila
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name: Bangladesh
Subdivision Type1:Division
Subdivision Name1:Sylhet
Subdivision Type2:District
Subdivision Name2:Sunamganj
Leader Title:MP (Sunamganj-2)
Leader Name:Joya Sengupta
Leader Party:Awami League
Leader Title1:Upazila Chairman
Leader Name1:Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mahmud
Established Title:1919
Established Date:Naval outpost
Established Title2:1941
Established Date2:Thana
Established Title3:1983
Established Date3:Upazila
Area Total Km2:256.03
Population As Of:2011
Population Total:113743
Population Density Km2:auto
Population Demonym:Sullawi, Shallawi
Timezone:BST
Utc Offset:+6
Postal Code Type:Postal code
Postal Code:3000

Sullah (Bengali: শাল্লা|Shalla, also spelt Sulla, is an upazila (sub-district) of the Sunamganj District, located in Bangladesh's Sylhet Division.[1] Its headquarters is located in Ghungiargaon.

History

It is generally thought that the area presently comprising Sullah Upazila was formerly inhabited by the Khasi people, which can be understood from the Khalisha Hati, Bara Hati, Kakura Hati and Godir Bak of Chobbisha village. The two mounds discovered in the village of Khalli and other mounds also provides evidence for thousand-year old tribal settlement. Among the 120 mosques in Sullah, the Ghungiargaon-Sullah Jame Mosque, Srihail Saheb Bari Jame Mosque and Bahara Jame Mosque are of historical importance.[1]

Sullah Upazila is named after the village of Sullah which sits on the bank of the Kalni River. A small bazaar was established in the village and named Shahaganj Bazar, after Shah Nur, who was a prominent wali who lived in the village. However, the name of Shah Ullah was more prominent, and this later became corrupted to Sullah (pronounced Shalla).[2]

In 1919, a naval police headquarters was established in Sullah village. It was converted into an administrative thana in 1941. However, as a result of the breakage in the strong current of the Kalni river, the infrastructure of the thana was destroyed. The local chiefs then re-established the headquarters in the village of Ghungiargaon, located in the centre of Sullah Thana.[2] During the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971, Sullah was a part of Sector 5 under Mir Shawkat Ali. Sullah was liberated on 7 December. Sullah Thana was upgraded to upazila (sub-district) in 1983 as part of the President of Bangladesh Hussain Muhammad Ershad's decentralisation programme. In 1987, the Hashimia Islami Madrasa was founded in Sullah which contributed to the educational development.[1]

Geography

Sullah is located at 24.6264°N 91.25°W. It has 20,299 households and total area 256.03 km2.

Demographics

According to the 2011 Bangladesh census, Sulla Upazila had 20,299 households and a population of 113,743. 33,217 (29.20%) were under 10 years of age. Sulla had a literacy rate (age 7 and over) of 34.29%, compared to the national average of 51.8%, and a sex ratio of 984 females per 1000 males. 3,914 (3.44%) lived in urban areas.[3] [4] Sulla formerly had a Hindu majority, like many other upazilas in the Haor region, but after Partition the Hindus have gradually migrated to India.

As of the 1991 Bangladesh census, Sullah has a population of 89941. Males constitute 51.08% of the population, and females 48.92%. This Upazila's eighteen up population is 43247. Sullah has an average literacy rate of 21.8% (7+ years), and the national average of 32.4% literate.[5]

Administration

Sullah Upazila is divided into four union parishads: Atgaon, Bahara, Habibpur, and Shalla. The union parishads are subdivided into 65 mauzas and 116 villages.[3]

List of chairmen

List of chairmen!Number!Name!Term
01Kalai Mia Chowdhury
02Muhammad Abdul Mannan Chowdhury1990 - 1991
03Adv. Abani Mohan Das22/2/2009 - 23/4/2014
04Ganesh Chandra Sarkar24/5/2014 - 13/5/2019
05Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mahmud14/5/2019 - Present

Notable people

See also

Notes and References

  1. Jiban Kumar Chanda. Sulla Upazila.
  2. Web site: শাল্লা উপজেলার পটভূমি. Bangladesh National Portal. bn.
  3. Web site: Bangladesh Population and Housing Census 2011 Zila Report – Sunamganj . bbs.gov.bd . Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.
  4. Web site: 2011 . Community Tables: Sunamganj district . bbs.gov.bd . Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.
  5. Web site: November 10, 2006 . Population Census Wing, BBS.. https://web.archive.org/web/20050327072826/http://www.bangladeshgov.org/mop/ndb/arpc91_v1/tables04.htm . 2005-03-27 .