Sylhet became the hub of Pakistan's tea industry after 1947. Pakistan became one of the world's largest tea exporters due to development of plantations in Sylhet by the Ispahani family, James Finlay & Company and others. Burmah Oil discovered natural gas reserves in Sylhet's hinterland in 1955.
In 1995, the Government of Bangladesh declared Sylhet as the sixth divisional headquarters of the country.
Sylhet is strategically important for the Bangladesh Armed Forces. The Bangladesh Army's 17th Infantry Division is based at Jalalabad Cantonment in Sylhet.[30] The cantonment is also home of the School of Infantry and Tactics (SI&T) and the 1st Para-commando Battalion, an elite commando unit of the Bangladesh Army.