Public notification issued over Sylhet City Corporation’s expansion

Sylhet City Corporation (SCC) is expanding and the district administration issued a public circular in this regard on Sunday.

The circular, signed by Deputy Commissioner M Kazi Emdadul Islam, said a preliminary decision had been taken to include several areas of the Sylhet Sadar and South Surma upazilas in the city corporation.

The SCC is the smallest city corporation in the country by size.

In 2014, the SCC took the initiative to expand the city that has an area of ​​26.5 square kilometers. A proposal to increase the size of the city to about six times its current one was submitted to the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives.

However, the proposal was stuck for five years.

Amid this, a meeting was held in November last year at the Sylhet deputy commissioner's office with the aim of expanding the SCC.

Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen, also the MP of Sylhet 1 constituency, participated in the meeting. The minister agreed on the proposal to increase the size of the city and also provided directives to implement the proposal. 

Following the conclusion of the meeting, the district administration issued a public notice for the expansion of the city on Sunday after various formalities.

According to the public notice, the areas to be included in the SCC are: Kumargaon 80 of Tukerbazar Union of Sylhet Sadar Upazila, Moiyarchar 81 (excluding Dag Nos. 77, 82, 83, 89, 90, and 91), land belonging to Tukerbazar Union, Khurumkhola Shahpur 82, and Akhalia 88 (remaining land formerly excluded from the city corporation).

Additionally, Kumargaon 80 of Khadimnagar Union, Sadipur first part 93 of Khadimpara Union (remaining land formerly excluded from the city corporation), Tilagarh 95, Devpur 98 (remaining land formerly excluded from the city corporation), Kasba Kuituk 100, Sultanpur Chawk 101, and Peshnewaj 102 are also on the list.

Further, the expansion includes Sadipur first part 93 of Tultikar Union (remaining land formerly excluded from the city corporation), Tilagarh 95 and Debpur 96 (remaining land formerly excluded from the city corporation).

It also includes Habinandi 107 of Kuchai Union of South Surma Upazila (remaining land formerly excluded from the city corporation), Manipur 108 (remaining land formerly excluded from the city corporation), Alampur 109 (remaining land formerly excluded from the city corporation), and Gotatikor 110 (remaining land formerly excluded from the city corporation).   

Moreover, Pirijpur 114 of Barikandi Union, Dharadharpur 115, Borikandi 116 (remaining land formerly excluded from the city corporation), and Godhorail 126 (remaining land formerly excluded from the city corporation) will be included in the city corporation.

Also, Dharadharpur 115 of Tetli Union, Barikandi (remaining part) 116 (remaining land formerly excluded from the city corporation) and Baldi 125 partially (2199-2349, 3509-3511, 3513-3533) are on the list.

Sylhet Deputy Commissioner M Kazi Emdadul Islam confirmed the public notice was published.

He said the residents have been asked to inform the deputy commissioner, in writing, by September 8 if they have any suggestions or complaints regarding the inclusion of the areas under the SCC.

According to the SCC sources, Sylhet municipality was formed in 1878 with an area of 1.75 square kilometers.

When it was upgraded to Sylhet City Corporation in 2002, it expanded. At that time, the area of ​​the city corporation was 26.50 square kilometers.

About a decade after the SCC was formed, there was a proposal to make it a metropolitan with an area of ​​160.62 square kilometers.

If the proposal is implemented, the 27 wards in the SCC will increase to more than fifty.