Sylhet
The old steel bridge over the Surma, next to Ali Amjad's clock tower. Lovely in the evening.
Keane Bridge is the old steel bridge across the Surma river in the centre of Sylhet. It was built in the 1930s, in the British period, and named after Sir Michael Keane, then Governor of Assam, of which Sylhet was a part. With its arched steel trusses it became the symbol of the city, and for decades it was the main link between the two halves of Sylhet.
The bridge was damaged during the Liberation War in 1971 and repaired afterwards. Newer bridges now carry most of the traffic, but Keane Bridge remains the one everyone knows.
Right beside it on the north bank stands Ali Amjad’s clock, a small clock tower built in the 19th century by a local zamindar and named after his son. Together with the river ghats below, the bridge and the clock make the classic Sylhet view — loveliest in the evening, when the lights come on and people come out to walk by the water.
Start at the clock tower by the river and look along the bridge.
Walk over the Surma as the sun goes down and watch the boats below.
Have tea by the water as the bridge lights up.
Take a rickshaw to Zindabazar for rice, bhortas and satkora beef.
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Any time of year, best in the late afternoon and evening. In the monsoon the Surma runs full and wide.
In the city centre, across the Surma: walk from Surma Point or take a rickshaw.
