Badalgachhi Upazila (Bangla: বদলগাছী উপজেলা), also known as Badalgachi or Bodolgachi, is an upazila of Naogaon District. It is located about 21 km north from the central point of Naogaon town. The upazila is bordered by Dhamoirhat and Joypurhat Sadar upazilas to the north, Naogaon Sadar to the south, Akkelpur (Joypurhat) to the east, and Mohadevpur and Patnitala to the west. Badalgachhi lies at approximately 24.58°N and 88.54°E and covers an area of approximately 213.97 km².
Naming History of Badalgachhi
The name derives from a historical trading spot where goods were exchanged — in Bangla বদল meaning exchange — which led to the place being called Badalgachhi.
Administration
Badalgachhi became a thana (police station) in 1807 and was upgraded to an upazila in 1983. Administrative breakdown:
- Electoral Area: 48, Naogaon-3 (Badalgachhi & Mohadevpur)
- Villages: 238
- Mouzas: 247
- Union Councils: 8
- Upazila Parishad: 1
- Municipality (Pourosova): None
- Police Station (Thana): 1
Union Parishads in Badalgachhi Upazila
The upazila's eight unions (English / Bengali):
- Badalgachhi (বদলগাছী)
- Mathurapur (মথুরাপুর)
- Paharpur (পাহাড়পুর)
- Mithapur (মিঠাপুর)
- Kola (কোলা)
- Bilashbari (বিলাশবাড়ী)
- Adhaipur (আধাইপুর)
- Balubhara (বালুভরা)
Archaeological Heritage
- Somapura Mahavihara at Paharpur (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
- Tara Forehead
- Halud Vihara
Religion
Religious Worship Facilities
- Mosques (মসজিদ): 478
- Temples (মন্দির): 79
- Churches (গীর্জা): 4
- Eidgah (ঈদগাহ): 113
Population
Key figures from the 2022 census for Badalgachhi Upazila:
- Total population: 206,557
- Annual population growth rate: 0.23%
- Gender ratio: 95.39
- Households: 59,361
- Average household size: 3.47 persons
Population by Type of Disability
As of the 2022 census.
| Type of Disability | Persons | Percentage (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Autism | 106 | 2.71% |
| Physical Disability | 1,569 | 40.05% |
| Mental Illness | 375 | 9.57% |
| Visual Disability | 434 | 11.08% |
| Speech Disability | 319 | 8.14% |
| Intellectual Disability | 314 | 8.01% |
| Hearing Disability | 235 | 6.00% |
| Deaf Blindness | 10 | 0.26% |
| Cerebral Palsy | 75 | 1.91% |
| Down Syndrome | 31 | 0.79% |
| Multiple Disabilities | 348 | 8.88% |
| Other Disability | 102 | 2.60% |
| Total Disabled in Badalgachhi | 3,918 | 100.00% |
Population by Religion
| Religion | Population | Percentage (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Muslim | 178,550 | 86.44% |
| Hindu | 25,451 | 12.32% |
| Christian | 441 | 0.21% |
| Buddhist | 59 | 0.03% |
| Others | 2,056 | 0.99% |
| Badalgachhi (Total) | 206,557 | 100.00% |
Education
Historical Literacy Rates (1981–2022)
| Census Year | Literacy Rate (%) |
|---|---|
| 1981 | 24.10% |
| 1991 | 28.10% |
| 2001 | 45.20% |
| 2011 | 49.50% |
| 2022 (Current) | 69.82% |
Educational Institutions
Counts of general and religious educational institutions:
- 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 Production (2009–10 & 2010–11)
Rice production by crop type for the fiscal years provided.
| 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 & Sugarcane Production (2009–10 & 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 district's main weather observatory is located at Badalgachhi. Key details:
- Official Name: Badalgachhi Agricultural Meteorological Office
- Coordinates: 24.96729012681978, 88.89400822455558
- Classification: 1st Class Observatory (within BMD network)
- Contact: 56188 (as listed on BMD)
- Services: Temperature, rainfall, humidity, wind data for forecasting and agricultural planning
Public and Private Facilities
Figures below reference District Statistics 2011 (Naogaon) and related local listings.
| Facility / Service | Number |
|---|---|
| Telephone Exchange | 1 |
| Fire Station | 1 |
| Police Station/Camp | 2 |
| Union Land Office | 3 |
| Sub-registry Office | 1 |
| BOP (BGB Camp) | 0 |
| Government Office | 25 |
| Post Office | 13 |
| Nationalized Bank Branch | 3 |
| Private Bank Branch | 0 |
| NGOs | 21 |
| Dak-banglow / Rest House | 1 |
| Daily Bazaar | 5 |
| Weekly Hat | 23 |
References and Footnotes
- Badalgachhi Upazila – এক নজরে বদলগাছী.
- Population and Housing Census 2022, District Report – Naogaon.
- District Statistics 2011 – Naogaon (PDF).
- List of BMD Observatories – BMD.
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