Naogaon District

Discover Naogaon: A Comprehensive Insight

About Naogaon

Naogaon district (Bangla: নওগাঁ জেলা – nouga jela) is a class “A” district under Rajshahi division with an area of 3435.67 sq km, is bounded by West Bengal of India on the north, Natore and Rajshahi districts on the south, Joypurhat and Bogura districts on the east, Chapai Nawabganj district and West Bengal (India) on the west. The district situated between latitudes 24°32′ and 25°13′ North, and longitudes 88°23′ and 89°10′ East.

History of Naogaon District

The name “Naogaon” has been derived from the juxtaposition of two distinct terms: ‘nao,’ a French word meaning “new,” and ‘gaon,’ which means “village” in Bengali.Together with, these two terms combine to form the meaning ‘new village.’ Historically, it is believed that this naming convention may reflect the formation of the place known as Naogaon.

Naogaon district town is located a few kilometers west of Santahar railway station in neighboring Bogra district. Historically, Naogaon was earlier headquartered at Manda and Bandaikhara, but was shifted to Naogaon on the banks of the Little Jamuna river to get rail connectivity.

The name “Naogaon” has been derived from the juxtaposition of two distinct terms: ‘nao,’ a French word meaning “new,” and ‘gaon,’ which means “village” in Bengali. Together, these two terms form the meaning “new village”.

Administration

Naogaon, firstly established as a subdivision (Mahakuma – মহকুমা) under Rajshahi district in 1877, was later upgraded to a district in 1984. It consists of 3 municipality, 11 upazilas, 99 union parishads, 92 mahallas (town), 2,497 mauzas and 2780 villages.¹

Upazilas in Naogaon

Naogaon district has eleven upazila. These Upazilas are major part of local governance. Upazila structure was formed in Bangladesh in 1982. An upazila administration works under the district administration. Further, it is governed by elected councils known as Upazila Parishad.

List of upazila in Naogaon district below:

1. Atrai Upazila
2. Badalgachhi Upazila
3. Dhamoirhat Upazila
4. Manda Upazila
5. Mohadevpur Upazila
6. Naogaon Sadar Upazila
7. Niamatpur Upazila
8. Patnitala Upazila
9. Porsha Upazila
10. Raninagar Upazila
11. Sapahar Upazila

Municipalities in Naogaon District

There are a total of 3 municipalities across Naogaon district. According to the 2011 census, some statistics of these three municipalities are presented here:

Dhamoirhat Municipality

• Area: 11.16 sq. km.
• Population: 15,006
• Male: 7,749
• Female: 7,257
• Density of population: 1,344 per sq.km.

Naogaon Sadar Municipality

• Area: 37.03 sq. km.
• Population: 150,549
• Male: 77,326
• Female: 73,223
• Density of population: 4,036 per sq.km.

Nazipur Municipality (Patnitala)

• Area: 11.81 sq. km.
• Population: 21,670
• Male: 11,238
• Female: 10,432
• Density of population: 1,835 per sq.km.

The total area for these three municipalities is 60 sq. km. with a combined population of 187,225. The average density of population of 3,120 per sq.km.

Driving Distance from Neighbouring District

Here are the driving distances from Naogaon district headquarters to all neighboring districts, based on Google Maps’ best routes as of 2024. Please note that actual arrival times may vary depending on road conditions.

Archaeological Heritage in Naogaon District

• Paharpur Buddhist Vihara
• Jagaddal Vihara
• Kusumba Mosque
• Halud Vihara
• Agrapuri Vihara
• Dubalhati Rajbari
• Balihar Rajbari
  

Weather of Naogaon

Bangladesh experiences a tropical climate divided into six seasons, and of course its northern district of Naogaon is no exception. The climate in this region is consistent with the national average. Typically, cooler weather begins in October and lasts until March. However, like the whole world, Naogaon has also experienced a rise in temperatures in recent years.

Maximum and Minimum Temperature – 2008-2010

The below chart will show the Max and Min Temperatures in Naogaon District during the years 2008-2010.³ Hover over any bar of the chart to see their data.

Average Seasonal Variation of Rainfall

Year 2017

• Summer: 339 mm
• Monsoon: 950 mm
• Post Monsoon: 198 mm
• Winter: 9 mm
• Annual Average: 1496 mm

Year 2018

• Summer: 357 mm
• Monsoon: 714 mm
• Post Monsoon: 35 mm
• Winter: 27 mm
• Annual Average: 1132 mm⁴

For current weather of Naogaon, see here.

Population

As per the 2022 census, the population of Naogaon district is as follows:

• Total Population: 2,784,598
• Male: 1,374,312
• Female: 1,408,840
• Hijra: 173
• Sex Ratio: 97.55 males for every 100 females
• Population Density: 810 pesons per km²

For detailed population statistics of Naogaon district, see here.

Widowed and Divorced/separated Population (2011 census)

Religious Population

As per the 2022 census, the religious population ratio is as follows:

• Muslim: 86.82%
• Hindu: 11.45%
• Christian: 0.77%
• Buddhist: 0.01%
• Others: 0.95% Other or not stated (Santal, Oraon, Mahali etc.)

Literacy Rates in Naogaon District

According to the 2022 census, the literacy rate is determined based on the population aged 7 years and older. The overall literacy rate, as well as the breakdown by gender, are provided below:

• Total Literacy Rate: 72.14%
• Male Literacy Rate: 74.66%
• Female Literacy Rate: 69.70%
• Hijra (third gender) Literacy Rate: 48.5%

This chart presents the literacy rate in Naogaon district for different genders: Male, Female, and Hijra.

Upazila-wise Literacy Rate Chart

Orphanages in Naogaon District

The chart below visualizes the number of orphanages in each Upazila of the Naogaon district. According to the 2011 census data, Mohadevpur Upazila has the highest number of orphanages, with 27, while Atrai has the lowest, with just 3.

Villages in Naogaon district

Naogaon district is a village-dominated region like other regions of Bangladesh. According to Statistical Yearbook Bangladesh 2022, the total number of villages in this district is 2780. Among the 11 upazilas of the district, Niamatpur upazila has the highest number of 344 villages while Raninagar upazila has the lowest number of 174.

Communication

Roadway

Paved roads: 401.25 km, including 15 km of HBB (High Bituminous Binder)
Unpaved roads: 99.75 km
Built by LGED: 5048 km
Built by Zilla Parishad: 1693.75 km (including both paved HBB and unpaved roads)

Main Bus Station: Baludanga Central Bus Terminal

Length of Highway

The chart above displays the length of highways in the Naogaon district, as reported in the Statistical Yearbook Bangladesh 2022, as well as stating these lengths in kilometers.⁶

Railrways in Naogaon District

Total Railway: 27 km
Railway Stations: Raninagar, Sahagola, and Ahsanganj (Atrai)

Waterway

Waterway (river + canal) round the year: total 87 km in the district
Upazila Wise waterway:

• Atrai: 10 km
• Mohadevpur: 37 km
• Naogaon sadar: 40 km

Upazila-wise Waterway Chart

Out of the 11 upazilas in Naogaon district, only three maintain waterways that are accessible throughout the year, while the others do not. These waterways consist solely of rivers and canals, as per the 2011 census.⁷

This chart represents the waterway length by Upazila in Naogaon District. The length is stated in kilometers.

Number of Road Accidents in Naogaon District (2016-2019)

A road accident is an unforeseen tragedy. Although, such incidents are common in Bangladesh. Similarly, Naogaon is no exception. In light of this, according to the Statistical Yearbook Bangladesh 2022, here are the figures for road accidents in the district from 2016 to 2019, including the number of people killed and injured.⁸

Main Crops

Naogaon is especially known for the production of food grains. The main crops of this district are: paddy, wheat, jute, mango, potato, sugarcane, oilseeds, pulses etc.

Cropping Land Types in Naogaon District

The lands in Naogaon are considerably fertile compared to other regions of Bangladesh. As a result, different types of cultivation are seen. Based on the 2018 Bangladesh Agriculture Survey, here are the various types and quantities of cropping land:

• Single cropped land: 74,123.88 acres
• Double cropped land: 421,035.83 acres
• Triple cropped Land: 29,836.78 acres
• Four or more cropped land: 1,641.91 acres
• Fish land: 490.35 acres

This chart represents the different types of cultivated land in Naogaon district. The amount of land is stated in acres.

Fisheries in Naogaon

Fish Production Overview of 2021-2022

• Registered Fishermen: 17,751
• Fish Farmers: 33,276
• Trained Fish Farmers (Fiscal Year 2021-22): 3,550
• Government Fish Hatcheries: 3 (Including 2 rural hatcheries)
• Private Fish Hatcheries: 28
• Juvenile Fish Traders: 356
• Total Fish Production: 83,861 Metric Tons⁹

Fish Production and Demand Chart (2021-2022)

Hover over bars of the chart to see their data.

This chart represents the fish production, demand, and surplus in Naogaon District for the year 2021-2022. The data is stated in metric tons.

Fish Demand Calculation Method

The total fish demand was calculated based on the daily per person requirement of 60 grams, and given that the total population of Naogaon district was 2,784,598, the annual total fish demand amounted to 60,982.69 metric tons for the 2021-2022 year.

Main Fruits

Banana, mango, jackfruit, guava, litchi, orange, coconut etc.

Recently, Naogaon district has made great progress in mango production. Below is a chart of annual mango production progress.

This chart represents the yearly mango production in Naogaon District. The production is stated in metric tons.

Haats and Bazaars in Naogaon District

Naogaon district is home to many haats and bazaars. A haat is a type of marketplace that sets up on one or several specific days of the week, while bazaars open every day. Both haats and bazaars are essential trading spots in rural areas, where people buy and sell a range of items, from daily necessities to other goods. In some of the larger haats, people also trade in livestock and furniture.

As of the 2011 census, the district has 248 haats and bazaars. Here is an upazila-wise chart of haats and bazaars in each upazila:

Upazila-wise Haats and Bazaars Chart

This chart represents the number of Haat and bazaar in each Upazila of Naogaon district as per the 2011 census.

Health Facicities in Naogaon

Doctor’s Fees

Below is a health related chart based on the 2011 census data. It displays the consultation fees patients were required to pay in non-government clinics, hospitals, or consultation centers during that period. The fees at that time varied depending on the type of doctor consulted. It’s worth noting that today’s doctor fees are significantly higher than that time.

This chart represents the average doctor’s fee in Naogaon district per patient as per the 2011 census. The fee is stated in taka.

Health Centres in Naogaon District

District hospital 1, Medical College 1, upazila heath complex 10, union heath centre 35, family planning centre 42, christian missionary hospital 1.

References and Footnotes

1. Statistical Yearbook Bangladesh 2022 ↩︎
2. Yearbook of Agricultural Statistics – 2021 ↩︎
3. District Statistics 2011, Naogaon ↩︎
4. Statistical Yearbook Bangladesh 2022 ↩︎
5. District Statistics 2011, Naogaon ↩︎
6. Statistical Yearbook Bangladesh 2022 ↩︎
7. District Statistics 2011, Naogaon ↩︎
8. Statistical Yearbook Bangladesh 2022 ↩︎
9. জেলা মৎস্য কর্মকর্তার কার্যালয়, নওগাঁ, At a Glance ↩︎
10. Office of the District Food Controller, Naogaon – OMS Naogaon Dealer List ↩︎