Badalgachhi Upazila

Badalgacchi Upazila (Bengali: বদলগাছি উপজেলা) is a Upazila of Naogaon District under Rajshahi Division, Bangladesh.^[3]

Badalgachhi Upazila বদলগাছি উপজেলা
Upazila of Bangladesh
Aerial view of Somapura Mahavihara
Coordinates: 24°58′N 88°54′E
Country	Bangladesh
Division	Rajshahi
District	Naogaon
Area
• Total	213.97 km2 (82.61 sq mi)
Population  (2022)[1]
• Total	206,557
• Density	970/km2 (2,500/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+6 (BST)
Postal code	6570[2]

Geography

Map of Naogaon District

Badalgacchi is located at 24°58′N 88°54′E. It consists of 54,001 households and has a total area of 213.97 square kilometres (82.61 sq mi).

Demographics

Religions in Badalgachhi Upazila (2022)[4]
Religion			Percent
Islam			86.44%
Hinduism			12.32%
Ethnic religion			0.99%
Other or not stated			0.25%

According to the 2011 Census of Bangladesh, Badalgachhi Upazila had 54,001 households and a population of 201,342. 36,957 (18.36%) were under 10 years of age. Badalgachhi had a literacy rate (age 7 and over) of 49.55%, compared to the national average of 51.8%, and a sex ratio of 1002 females per 1000 males. 6,357 (3.16%) lived in urban areas.^[5] Ethnic population was 10,799 (5.36%), of which Oraon were 3,661.^[6]

In 1991, the population of Badalgacchia was 176,010. Males constitute 51.34% of the population, and females account for 48.66%. Badalgachi has an average literacy rate of 28.4% for persons seven years and older, which is below the national average of 32.4%.

Points of interest

Somapura Mahavihara is situated in Paharpur village.

Administration

Badalgachhi, formed as a thana (police station) in 1807, was converted into an upazila in 1983.^[7]

The upazila is divided into eight union parishads: Adhaipur, Badalgachhi, Balubhara, Bilasbari, Kola, Mathurapur, Mithapur, and Paharpur. The union parishads are subdivided into 247 mauzas and 238 villages.^[5]