New DC Abdullah takes charge in Sylhet

Four days after his appointment, Abdullah Al Mamun has joined as the new Deputy Commissioner (DC) and District Magistrate of Sylhet.

Abdullah Al Mamun, a Deputy Secretary at the Information and Communication Technology Division, officially assumed charge as the Deputy Commissioner and District Magistrate of Sylhet on Monday.

He took over from Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Pinky Saha, who had been serving as the acting Deputy Commissioner.

Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) Saida Parveen confirmed the development, saying that Abdullah Al Mamun assumed office at 10:00 am on Monday.

She added that the new Deputy Commissioner was holding a meeting with district officials and employees after taking charge.

On June 21, following the withdrawal of then Deputy Commissioner Md. Sarwar Alam, Comilla Deputy Commissioner Md. Reza Hasan was appointed as the new Deputy Commissioner of Sylhet.

However, after landing at Shahjalal International Airport, he was instructed by the Ministry of Public Administration to return and was subsequently removed from the post.

Finally, on July 9, Abdullah Al Mamun, Deputy Secretary at the Information and Communication Technology Division, was appointed as the new Deputy Commissioner of Sylhet. He officially assumed office four days later, on Monday.

Former Sylhet Deputy Commissioner Md. Sarwar Alam drew widespread attention and criticism over several issues during his tenure.

He joined the district amid allegations of large-scale stone looting and initiated efforts to recover several lakh cubic feet of white stone.

He also launched initiatives to bring greater transparency and accountability to the financial management of the shrines of Hazrat Shahjalal (RA) and Hazrat Shah Paran (RA), which received nationwide attention.

On June 12, Sarwar Alam visited both shrines and announced measures to ensure transparency in their income and expenditure management.

As part of that initiative, the old donation box at the Shahjalal (RA) shrine was sealed on June 18 and replaced with a new one. The shrine’s three traditional donation jars, which had been in use for many years, were also sealed.

The move drew mixed reactions, with some welcoming the initiative while others criticized it, alleging administrative interference in the management of shrine donations.