Belkuchi Upazila

Belkuchi (বেলকুচি) is an upazila, or sub-district of Sirajganj District, located in Rajshahi Division, Bangladesh.

Geography
Belkuchi is located at 24.2917°N, 89.7°W. It has 74,450 households and a total area of 158.87 km2. There are two main rivers, Jamuna and Hurasagar. Chandni Beel is an important water body.

The upazila is bounded by Sirajganj sadar upazila on the north, Shahjadpur and Chauhali upazilas on the south, Kalihati and Tangail Sadar upazilas on the east, Kamarkhanda and Ullahpara upazilas on the west.

Demographics
According to the 2011 Bangladesh census, Belkuchi Upazila had 74,450 households and a population of 352,835. 90,908 (25.77%) were under 10 years of age. Belkuchi had a literacy rate (age 7 and over) of 45.66%, compared to the national average of 51.8%, and a sex ratio of 963 females per 1000 males. 75,364 (21.36%) lived in urban areas.

As of the 1991 Bangladesh census, Belkuchi has a population of 245164. Males constitute are 52.49% of the population, and females 47.51%. This Upazila's eighteen up population is 116311. Belkuchi has an average literacy rate of 33.6% (7+ years), and the national average of 32.4% literate.

Administration
Belkuchi Thana was formed in 1921 and it was turned into an upazila in 1983.

Belkuchi Upazila is divided into Belkuchi Municipality and six union parishads: Bara Dhul, Belkuchi, Bhangabari, Daulatpur, Dhukariabera, and Rajapur. The union parishads are subdivided into 94 mauzas and 131 villages.

Belkuchi Municipality is subdivided into 9 wards and 14 mahallas.

Education
There are five colleges in the upazila. They include Belkuchi Mahila College, founded in 1998, Belkuchi Model College, Dawlatpur Degree College (1996), and Rajapur College. Belkuchi College, founded in 1970, is the only honors level one.

According to Banglapedia, Daulatpur High School, founded in 1918, Saidabad High School (1965), Satinath Academy, Shyam Kishore Pilot High School (1913), Sohagpur Pilot Girls' High School (1967), and Sohagpur SK Pilot Model High School are notable secondary schools.

The madrasa education system includes four fazil madrasas.