History & Background
Hazrat Shah Jalal, a Sufi mystic believed to have arrived from the Middle East or Central Asia in 1303 with a band of followers, is credited with the conquest and Islamization of Sylhet after defeating the local Hindu ruler Gour Govinda. His shrine, built after his death around 1346, has since become one of the most visited pilgrimage sites in Bangladesh, drawing devotees of all backgrounds who come to pray, tie sacred threads, and observe the shrine's famous pond of giant catfish, which pilgrims consider blessed and never eat.