Badalgachhi Upazila (Bangla: বদলগাছী উপজেলা) also known as Badalgachi or Bodolgachi is located 21 km north from the zero point of Naogaon district town according to Google Maps. This is an upazila under the Naogaon district that is bordered by the boundaries of Dhamoirhat and Joypurhat Sadar Upazilas to the north, Naogaon Sadar Upazila to the south, Akkelpur (Joypurhat) to the east, Mohadevpur and Patnitala upazilas to the west. The Upazila is located at approximately 24.58° North latitude and 88.54° East longitude, and the main river is the Little Jamuna while the upazila has an area of 213.97 km2.
Badalgachhi upazila in Naogaon district is famous for its archeological heritage site, Somapura Mahavihara at Paharpur village. The vihara, also known as a monastery, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Naming History of Badalgachhi
Before money existed, people traded goods with goods at a site, which means “place of exchange” (in Bangla: বদল). This trading spot gradually became known as Badalgachhi.1
Administration
At first, Badalgachhi got its administrative position more than two hundred years ago as a thana (police station) in 1807. Later it was upgraded into an upazila in 1983. Here’s a breakdown of its administrative divisions:
- Electoral Area: 48, Naogaon-3 (Badalgachhi and Mohadevpur Upazila)
- Villages: 238
- Mouza: 247
- Union Councils: 8
- Upazila Parishad: 1
- Municipality (Pourosova): None
- Police Station (thana): 1
Union Parishads in Badalgachhi Upazila
A list of Badalgachhi upazila’s eight Union Parishads, with their correct name spellings in both English and Bengali, is here.
- Badalgachhi (বদলগাছী)
- Mathurapur (মথুরাপুর)
- Paharpur (পাহাড়পুর)
- Mithapur (মিঠাপুর)
- Kola (কোলা)
- Bilashbari (বিলাশবাড়ী)
- Adhaipur (আধাইপুর)
- Balubhara (বালুভরা)
Find detailed list of all Union Parishads in Naogaon district.
Archaeological Heritage of Badalgachhi Upazila
- Somapura Mahavihara at Paharpur
- Tara Forehead
- Halud Vihara
Religion
Religious Worship Facilities in Badalgachhi Upazila
- Mosques (মসজিদ): 478
- Temples (মন্দির): 79
- Churches (গীর্জা): 4
- Eidgah (Open-air space for Eid prayers) (ঈদগাহ): 113
Population
Here is the current population scenario of Badalgachhi Upazila of Naogaon, based on the 2022 census.2
- Total population: 206,557 people
- Annual population growth rate: 0.23
- Gender ratio: 95.39
- Household: 59,361
- Average size of household: 3.47 person
Education
Historical Literacy Rates From 1981 to 2022
| Census Year | Literacy Rate (%) |
|---|---|
| 1981 | 24.1% |
| 1991 | 28.1% |
| 2001 | 45.2% |
| 2011 | 49.5% |
| 2022 (Current) | 69.82% |
As of the 2022 census,4 which is a current one, the Badalgachhi upazila’s literacy rate is 69.82%. Starting at 24.1% in 1981, there is a steady rise to 28.1% in 1991. This growth further accelerated with a significant jump to 45.2% by 2001 and reached 49.5% in 2011.
Educational Institutions in Badalgachhi
The numbers of educational institutions, both general and religious, are listed below.
Government Primary Schools: 76
Private Primary Schools: 41
Community Primary Schools: 14
Junior High Schools: 2
Co-educational High Schools: 28
Girls’ High Schools: 4
Dakhil Madrasas: 15
Alim Madrasas: 4
Fazil Madrasas: 1
Colleges (Co-educational): 8 (Technical: 4)
Girls’ Colleges: 1
Agriculture
Rice Crops Production in 2009-10 and 2010-11
Like its counterparts in Naogaon, Badalgachhi Upazila is also a significant contributor to rice crop production. In the fiscal year 2009-10, the upazila produced an impressive 7,04,145 metric tons of rice. The following year, 2010-11, with production of 80,381 metric tons. This table also presents a more granular view of the production figures, broken down by rice crop type for both of the two fiscal years.
| Fiscal Year | Rice Crop Type | Production |
|---|---|---|
| 2009-2010 | Aus | 26,587 M. Ton |
| Aman | 349,964 M. Ton | |
| Boro | 327,594 M. Ton | |
| 2010-2011 | Aus | 3,436 M. Ton |
| Aman | 34,235 M. Ton | |
| Boro | 42,710 M. Ton |
Wheat, Jute and Sugarcane Production in 2009-10 and 2010-11
| Fiscal Year | Crop Type | Production |
|---|---|---|
| 2009-2010 | Wheat | 1,383 M. Ton |
| Jute | 4,229 M. Ton | |
| Sugarcane | 11,680 M. Ton | |
| 2010-2011 | Wheat | 1,377 M. Ton |
| Jute | 6,024 M. Ton | |
| Sugarcane | 7,506 M. Ton |
Weather Office in Badalgachhi, Naogaon
Naogaon district has one weather observatory station that is situated in Badalgachhi upazila, which is a 1st class observatory.5 Below are its key details:
General Information
- Official Name: Badalgachhi Agricultural Meteorological Office (Bangla: বদলগাছী কৃষি আবহাওয়া অফিস)
- Location: Situated at Geo Coordinates 24.96729012681978, 88.89400822455558, along XV8V+VHW Highway on Badalgachhi-Mataji Road in Badalgachhi, Naogaon District, Bangladesh.
- Classification: 1st Class Observatory (highest class within the BMD network).
- Contact Number: 56188 (as per the BMD website).
- Services: This observatory/station plays a vital role in gathering and transmitting key meteorological data such as temperature, rainfall, humidity, wind speed, and direction. This data is instrumental in weather forecasting, aiding agricultural planning, and enhancing disaster preparedness and response strategies.
References and Footnotes
- Badalgachhi Upazila – এক নজরে বদলগাছী ↩︎
- Population and Housing Census 2022, District Report – Naogaon ↩︎
- Population and Housing Census 2022, District Report – Naogaon ↩︎
- Population and Housing Census 2022, District Report – Naogaon ↩︎
- List of BMD Observatories ↩︎
