It aptly earns its reputation as a convergence point for archaeological, ethnographic, and geological interests, steeped in ancient traditions.

This unique geographical setup allowed the region to maintain independence for an extended period, known as the Jaintia Kingdom.

By the 16th century, much of the greater Sylhet region fell under the jurisdiction of the Jaintia king, who ruled from the capital, Jaintiapur.

King Lakshmi Narayan, a notable ruler from 1678 to1694, was renowned for constructing brick buildings in his capital, Jaintiapur.

An envoy of Jaintias assembled at Hajo where they informed the incident to Ahom Raja Suremphaa Swargadeo Rajeswar Singh who re-opened it for them.

The kingdom extended from the hills into the plains north of the Barak river Major Henniker led the first expedition to Jaintia in 1774.

The quarries in their possession were the chief supplier of lime to the delta region of Bengal, but with the British, the contact was not very smooth, and they were attacked in the same year.

After the conclusion of the First Anglo-Burmese War, the British allowed the Jaintia king his rule north of the Surma River.

The British administered the plain areas directly and the hill region indirectly via a system of fifteen dolois and four sardars.

Though the remnants of Jaintiapur, including the Jainteswari temple, the Rajbari (palace), and various monuments, still attract visitors, they are now quite dilapidated.

The palace, built by King Lakshmi Sinha in 1680, lies in ruins, and the temple has suffered significant damage, despite having a boundary wall.

Notably, the lone megalithic remains discovered in Bangladesh are located in Jaintiapur, similar to those found in India.

In 1971 the Pakistani Army engaged in torture, genocide, and plundering; soldiers also set many houses of the upazila on fire.

The Pakistani Army killed a number of innocent persons at the village of Hemo by strafing via fighter planes.

Additionally, the Pakistani Army brutally killed 30 persons including the Khan Tea Garden workers.

Jaintiapur had a literacy rate (age 7 and over) of 41.15%, compared to the national average of 51.8%, and a sex ratio of 1003 females per 1000 males.

The upazila comprises 142 mouzas and 174 villages, providing a structured framework for local governance and community organization.