Chowgacha Upazila HQ

 township, subdistrict, fourth-level administrative division, local government

Chaugachha Upazila (Jessore district) with an area of 280.39 sq km, is bounded by Maheshpur, Kotchandpur and Kaliganj (Jhenaidaha) upazilas on the north, 24 Pargana of West Bengal (India), Sharsha and Jhikargachha upazilas on the south, Kaliganj and jessore sadar upazilas on the east, Maheshpur upazila on the west. Main rivers are Kobadak, Betna and Bhairab; baor 8.

Chowgacha is located at 23.2667°N 89.0250°E. Chaugachha (Town) consists of 4 mouzas. The area of the town is 7.87 sq km. The town has a population of 9835; male 52.14%, female 47.86%. It has 33765 units of house hold and total area 268.89 km². Literacy rate among the town people is 37%. The town has one dakbungalow.

Chaugachha thana was turned into an upazila in 1983. It consists of 11 union parishads, 150 mouzas and 166 villages.

Archaeological heritage and relics: Neelkuthi.

As of the 1991 Bangladesh census: Population 181829; male 51.60%, female 48.40%; Muslim 91.66%, Hindu 8.24% and others 0.1%; ethnic nationals: Santal 103 families.

Religious institutions: Mosque 248, temple 181 and sacred place 1.

Literacy and educational institutions: Average literacy 25.3%; male 32.7% and female 17.8%. Educational institutions: college 3, high school 33, madrasa 17, government primary school 61, non-government primary school 59, community primary school 13. Notable old educational institutions: Narayanpur High School and Chaugachha High School.

Cultural organisations: Club 4, library 1, theatre group 1, cinema hall 1, literary society 1.

Main occupations: Agriculture 48.38%, agricultural labourer 27.53%, wage labourer 2.20%, commerce 8.37%, service 3.06%, fishing 1.08%, industry 1.29%, transport 2% and others 6.09%.

Land use: Total cultivable land 18069.6 hectares; fallow land 1156.21 hectares; single crop 10.59%, double crop 69.81% and treble crop 19.60%.

Land control: Among the peasants 17.72% are landless, 55.26% small, 22.17% intermediate and 4.85% rich; cultivable land per head 0.09 hectare.

Fisheries, dairies, poultries Poultry 199, dairy 20, hatchery 3 and fishery 20.

Communication facilities- Roads: pucca 37.54 km, semi pucca 10 km and mud road 283.45 km; waterways 7 nautical mile.

Manufactories: Ginning mill 2, ice factory 2.

Cottage industries: Weaving 15, bamboo work 30, goldsmith 25, blacksmith 22, potteries 15, wood work 31, tailoring 45, brick field 9 and welding 26.

NGO activities: Operationally important NGOs are Bela, Apan, brac, asa and Dhaka Ahasania Mission.

Health centres: Upazila health complex 1, family planning centre 11, satellite clinic 3.