Sylheti Language - Geographical Distribution

Geographical Distribution

Sylheti is the language of the Surma Valley region bordering what are today the nations of Bangladesh and India and spoken throughout Sylhet Division in Bangladesh (comprising the districts of Sylhet, Habiganj, Maulvi Bazar and Sunamganj). It is also spoken across the border in the Barak Valley region of Assam in India, in districts such as Cachar, Karimganj, and Hailakandi all located to the east from Sylhet. There are over 10,000,000 speakers of the language throughout the globe, including 8,000,000 speakers in Bangladesh.

Outside Bangladesh or India, the largest country in which Sylheti is spoken widely is in the United Kingdom, based on studies, over 95 percent of the British Bangladeshi community speak Sylheti mostly concentrated in the east London boroughs, and a few in Oldham and many other cities. Many of these Sylhetis arrived in the UK since the 1960-70s. Today many services provided for the Bengali community in the UK are translated in Sylheti for better understanding, for example in the Royal London Hospital, translation services (i.e. talking sign) are given in Sylheti. There are also Bangladeshi Americans who speak Sylheti, however it is not very recognized considering that the Sylheti speakers in the United States are spread around the vast country. There are many Bangladeshis that speak Sylheti in Jackson Heights, New York, Detroit and Hamtramck, Michigan, Dallas, Texas and all over the United States..