Baghaichhari Upazila

Baghaichhari Upazila (rangamati district) area 1868.80 sq km, located in between 23°04' and 23°44' north latitudes and in between 92°05' and 92°24' east longitudes. It is bounded by Tripura and Mizoram (India) on the north, langadu and barkal upazilas on the south, Mizoram (India) on the east and dighinala upazila on the west.

Population Total 78519; male 42056, female 36463; Muslim 18310, Hindu 4316, Buddhist 1142, Christian 54717 and others 34.

Water bodies Main rivers: Kachalang, Shijakh; Ugalchhar beel and kaptai lake are notable.

Administration Baghaichhari Thana, now an upazila, was formed in 1965.'

Upazila
Municipality	Union	Mouza	Village	Population		Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
				Urban	Rural		Urban	Rural
-	8	19	177	64211	14308	44	45.37	32.87

Upazila Town
Area (sq km)	Mouza	Population	Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
23.31	2	14308	614	45.4

Union
Name of union and GO code	Area (acre)	Population		Literacy rate (%)
		Male	Female
Amtali 35	1920	1766	1585	43.52
Kedarmara 47	6400	4812	4293	39.29
Baghaichhari 11	5760	4012	3720	41.59
Bangaltali 23	4480	6252	5556	31.58
Marishya 59	2560	4884	4262	45.44
Rupakari 71	5120	4296	3652	46.47
Sarboatali 35	3200	5057	4518	38.61
Sajek 83	437760	12743	10462	23.25

Source Bangladesh Population Census 2001, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.

Religious institutions Mosque 36, temple 7, church 10, pagoda 15, buddhist vihara 84, palitol 3; noted religious institutions: Ayrjapur Buddha Vihara.

Literacy rate and educational institutions Average literacy 35.2%; male 43%, female 26.1%. Educational institutions: college 2, secondary school 19, primary school 327, kindergarten 1, madrasa 4. Noted educational institutions: Kachalong Degree College, Sajek College, Kachalong High School, Baghaichhari High School, Uluchhari Primary School, Amtali Primary School.

Cultural organisations Library 1, club 24, cinema hall 1.

Main sources of income Agriculture 74.19%, non-agricultural labourer 4.82%, commerce 6.65%, transport and communication 1.38%, service 5.66%, construction 2.79%, rent and remittance 0.28% and others 4.23%.

Ownership of agricultural land Landowner 65.12%, landless 34.88%; agricultural landowner: urban 54.31% and rural 67.61%.

Main crops Paddy, potato, cotton, ginger, turmeric, chilli, vegetables.

Extinct or nearly extinct crops Wheat, mustard seed.

Main fruits Mango, jackfruit, banana, litchi, black berry, guava, pineapple, papaya.

Fisheries, dairies and poultries This upazila has a number of fisheries, dairies and poultries.'

Communication facilities Roads: pucca road 30 km, semi-pucca road 30 km, mud road 1250 km; waterways 69.11 nautical miles.

Extinct or nearly extinct traditional transport Palanquin, bullock cart, horse carriage.

Manufactories Rubber factory, ice factory, rice mill.

Cottage industries goldsmith, potteries, blacksmith, weaving, embroidery, bamboo and wood work, cane work.

Hats, bazars and fairs Hats and bazars 8, most noted of which are Upazila Sadar Bazar and Dudchhari Bazar.

Main exports Banana, papaya, ginger, turmeric, jackfruit, bamboo, cane.

Access to electricity All the unions of the upazila are under rural electrification net-work; however 10.06% dwellings have access to electricity.

Sources of drinking water Tube-well 94.67%, pond 0.16%, tap 0.43% and others 4.74%.

Sanitation 9.74% (urban 22.26% and rural 6.85%) of dwelling households of the upazila use sanitary latrines and 83.05% (urban 76.73% and rural 84.51%) of dwelling households use non-sanitary latrines; 7.21% of households do not have latrine facilities.'

Health centres Hospital 1, upazila health complex 1, family welfare centre 4, union satellite health centre 1, maternity centre 1, private clinic 12.

NGO activities Green Hill, Bangla German Sampriti. [Rintu Talukder]

References Bangladesh Population Census 2001, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics; Cultural survey report of Baghaichhari Upazila 2007.