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Sylhet: Sylhet-based residents urge action on roads, education and living standards in haor region
People from different walks of life originating from Derai-Shalla and now living in Sylhet have urged the government to take effective measures to address the region’s long-standing development challenges, calling for improved transport links, better education and higher living standards in the haor region.
They stressed the need for planned development, modern infrastructure and sustainable solutions to the problems facing marginalised communities to unlock the area’s potential and ensure lasting progress.
The demands were raised at the inauguration ceremony of the Derai-Shalla Development Council, an organisation representing people from the two upazilas living in Sylhet. The programme was held at an upscale restaurant in Sylhet city on Thursday evening, October 23.
The event was presided over by the council’s president, freedom fighter and educationist Principal Mihir Ranjan Das. Former president of the Sunamganj Association and noted politician Md Nasim Hossain attended as the chief guest.
Speakers said residents of Derai-Shalla had long faced inadequate transport and communication facilities, shortcomings in education and livelihood difficulties associated with life in the haor region. They called for an integrated development plan to ensure that the benefits of economic growth and public investment reach remote and underserved communities.
They urged the authorities to improve transport infrastructure, raise the standard of educational institutions and take stronger measures to improve the living conditions of disadvantaged people.
The speakers said the development of Derai-Shalla was not merely a public demand but also essential to harnessing the region’s considerable potential. Well-planned initiatives, they noted, could improve educational opportunities, strengthen the local economy and raise the overall quality of life.
They called on the government and all relevant stakeholders to work together to accelerate development and address the needs of communities that have long remained underserved.
Special guests at the programme included the organisation’s general secretary, Sheikh Md Nazrul Islam, who is also a college inspector at the Sylhet Education Board; freedom fighter Muhi Uddin; Haji Md Samuz Mia; and retired police inspector Enamul Monowar Mohon.
Others who addressed the gathering included Principal Abdul Hai, retired principal officer of Bangladesh Krishi Bank Piyush Kanti Talukdar, retired teacher Badrul Huda and journalist Shahjahan Chowdhury, among others.
During the ceremony, chief guest Md Nasim Hossain unveiled Abhishek Smarak-2026, a commemorative publication marking the inauguration of the organisation. The publication was edited by journalist Ashraf Ahmed, the council’s publication secretary.
The programme was jointly conducted by the organisation’s joint general secretaries, Sheikh Abdul Latif and Bin Yamin Russell.
Members of the Derai-Shalla Development Council’s executive committee, along with people from various professional and social backgrounds originating from the two upazilas and residing in Sylhet, attended the event.