Paikgacha () is an upazila of the Khulna District in the division of Khulna, Bangladesh. It is an important centre and gateway of the southern Khulna District.
Geography Paikgachha is located at . It has a total area of 411.19 km2.
Rivers There are a significant number of rivers in Paikgachha Upazila. The rivers here are Shibsa River, Kapotaksha River, Minhaz, Karulia, Vadra, Deluti etc
Demographics
According to the 2022 Bangladeshi census, Paikgachha Upazila had 73,998 households and a population of 286,209. 8.03% were under 5 years of age. Paikgachha had a literacy rate of 75.17%: 80.00% for males and 70.34% for females, with a sex ratio of 100.36 males per 100 females. 37,751 (13.19%) lived in urban areas.
+Population by religion in Union/PaurashavaUnion/Paurashava MuslimHinduOthersPaikgachha Paurashava13,9265,236384Chandkhali Union"42,7005,259111Deluti Union5,49512,3010Godaipur Union20,4063,55653Garaikhali Union13,72110,529215Haridhali Union20,6825,88041Kapilmuni Union28,8687,26131Lashkar Union14,0587,35197Lata Union2,9848,0191Raruli Union24,9908,59739Soladana Union14,3898,97636 🟩 Muslim majority 🟧 Hindu majority
As of the 2011 Census of Bangladesh, Paikgachha upazila had 59,873 households and a population of 247,983. 45,976 (18.54%) were under 10 years of age. Paikgachha had an average literacy rate of 52.83%, compared to the national average of 51.8%, and a sex ratio of 1001 females per 1000 males. 16,017 (6.46%) of the population lived in urban areas.
At the time of the 1991 Bangladesh census, Paikgachha had a population of 225,085, of which 51.14% was male, and 48.86% female. 117,629 of the citizens were aged eighteen or older. At the time, Paikgachha had an average literacy rate of 32.6% for those aged 7 years or older compared with the national average of 32.4%.
Administration Paikgacha Upazila is divided into Paikgacha Municipality and ten union parishads: Chandkhali, Deluti, Godaipur, Goroikhali, Horidhali, Kopilmuni, Loskor, Lota, Raruli, and Soladana. The union parishads are subdivided into 149 mauzas and 212 villages.
Paikgacha Municipality is subdivided into 9 wards and 5 mahallas.
Transport Paikgachha Bridge connects Paikgachha with Koyra Upazila successfully. The main route of transport to Paikgachha from other parts of the country is by bus.
Education
Secondary school Lakshmikhola Collegiate School Sreekanthopur K.R Junior High School Shaheed Kamrul Memorial High school Baka Bazar Paikgachha Govt. Boys School Haridhali Union High School Kharia High School, Kharia, Paikgacha Bholanath Sukhada Sundari Secondary School Shaheed Zia Girls High School Kharia Nabarun Secondary School, Kharia, Paikgacha Paikgachha Govt. Girls School Chandkhali Multilateral Secondary School K.D.S High School, Paikgacha, Khulna PTD Technical and Vocational School Kapilmuni Sahachari Vidya Mandir Mathbati G.G.P.G Dakhil Madrasah, Paikgachha, Khulna K.G.H.F Mowkhali United Academy, Mowkhali, Paikgacha, Khulna Soladana Secondary School, Soladana, Paikgacha Amurkata Rondhanu Madhyamic Bidyaioy, Soladana, Paikgacha Charbandha High School, Charbandha, Soladana, Pikgacha Katipara High School R.K.B.K. Horischandra Collegiate Institution (Raruli, Katipara, Baka, Kharsha) Raruli Bhubon Mohini Girls School Wazed Ali High School Shaheed Kamrul Memorial High School (Baka, Raruli, Paikgacha)
College Lakshmikhola Collegiate School Sreekanthopur K.R College Paikgachha Govt.College Habibnagor M K D S B Fazil Madrasah Chandkhali College K.D.S High School, Paikgacha, Khulna Fasiar Rahman Mohila Degree College, Paikgachha Alomtala Sinior Fazil Madrasah Gojalia Kalua Alim Madrasah Kapilmuni Sahachary Vidya Mandir School and College Kapilmuni College Haridhali Kapilmuni Mohila College Sardar Abu Hossen College, Soladana Shahid Ayub and Musa Memorial College, Garaikhali Kalinagar College, Kalinagar, Deluti. R.K.B.K. Horischandra Collegiate Institution (Raruli, Katipara, Baka, Kharsha)
Notable residents Sheikh Razzak Ali, the Member of Parliament for constituency Khulna-10 from 1979 to 1986 and for Khulna-2 from 1991 until 2001, was born in Paikgachha in 1928. Qazi Imdadul Haq, writer, was born in Gadaipur in 1882. Prafulla Chandra Ray, chemist, educator and entrepreneur, was born in Raruli-Katipara village in 1861.
See also Water supply and sanitation in Bangladesh
References