Bhagawangola II is a community development block that forms an administrative division in the Lalbag subdivision of Murshidabad district in the Indian state of West Bengal.
Geography
Nashipur is located at
Bhagawangola II CD block lies in the Jalangi-Bhagirathi Interfluve physiographic region in Murshidabad district. The Bhagirathi River splits the district into two natural physiographic regions – Rarh on the west and Bagri on the east. The Padma River separates Murshidabad district from Malda district and Chapai Nawabganj and Rajshahi districts of Bangladesh in the north. It is a low-lying area having alluvial soil pattern.
Bhagawangola II CD block is bounded by Godagari and Paba upazilas in Rajshahi District of Bangladesh, across the Padma, in the north, Raninagar II CD block in the east, Murshidabad-Jiaganj and Raninagar I CD blocks in the south and Bhagawangola I CD block in the west.
Murshidabad district has a 125.35 km long international border with Bangladesh of which 42.35 km is on land and the remaining is riverine. There are 9 blocks – Samserganj, Suti I, Suti II, Raghunathganj II, Lalgola, Bhagawangola I, Bhagawangola II, Raninagar II and Jalangi - along the Bangladesh-India border.
The Bagri or the eastern part of the district is a low lying alluvial plain with the shape of an isosceles triangle. The Ganges/Padma and the Bhagirathi form the two equal sides; the Jalangi forms the entire base; other offshoots of the Ganges meander within the area. It is liable to be flooded by the spill of the Bhagirathi and other rivers. The main rivers of this region are Bhairab, Jalangi, Chhoto Bhairab, Sialmari and Gobra Nala. All these rivers are distributaries of the main branch of the Ganges. The rivers are in their decaying stages.
A major problem is river bank erosion. As of 2013, an estimated 2.4 million people resided along the banks of the Ganges alone in Murshidabad district. Between 1931 and 1977, 26,769 hectares have been eroded and many villages have been fully submerged. 1980-1990 was a decade of erosion for this district and during the decade Giria, Sekhalipur, Khejustala, Mithipur, Fajilpur, Rajapur, Akheriganj, Parashpur villages were badly affected. Many families living along the Ganges continue to be affected. As for example, in 2007, severe erosion occurred in Lalgola, Bhagawangola II, Farakka and Raninnagar II CD blocks. In 2008, 1,245 families were affected in Lalgola, Bhagawangola I and Bhagawangola II CD blocks.
Bhagawangola II CD block has an area of 175.26 km2. It has 1 panchayat samity, 6 gram panchayats, 96 gram sansads (village councils), 71 mouzas and 56 inhabited villages. Ranitala police station serves this block. Headquarters of this CD block is at Nasipur.
Gram panchayats in Bhagawangola II block/ panchayat samiti are: Akheriganj, Amdahara, Baligram, Karibona, Nashipore and Saralpore.
Demographics
Population
According to the 2011 Census of India, Bhagawangola II CD block had a total population of 158,024, all of which were rural. There were 80,699 (51%) males and 77,325 (49%) females. Population in the age range 0-6 years totalled 23,473. Scheduled Castes numbered 5,218 (3.30%) and Scheduled Tribes numbered 45 (0.03%).
As per 2001 census, Bhagawangola II block has a total population of 129,907, out of which 66,813 were males and 63,094 were females. Bhagawangola II block registered a population growth of 17.83 per cent during the 1991-2001 decade. Decadal growth for the district was 23.70 per cent. Decadal growth in West Bengal was 17.84 per cent.
Decadal Population Growth Rate (%)
Sources:
The decadal growth of population in Bhagawangola II CD block in 2001-2011 was 21.65%.
The decadal growth rate of population in Murshidabad district was as follows: 33.5% in 1951-61, 28.6% in 1961-71, 25.5% in 1971-81, 28.2% in 1981-91, 23.8% in 1991-2001 and 21.1% in 2001-11. The decadal growth rate for West Bengal in 2001-11 was 13.93%.
The decadal growth rate of population in neighbouring Rajshahi District, across the Ganges, in Bangladesh, was 13.48% for the decade 2001-2011, down from 21.19% in the decade 1991-2001.
There are reports of Bangladeshi infiltrators entering Murshidabad district.
Villages
Large villages in Bhagwangola II CD block were (2011 population figures in brackets): Amdahara Haziganj (4,281), Nasipur (25,644), Khamar Diar (8,385), Sankarpur (4,346), Khagjana (6,232), Kolan Radhakantapur (6,435), Bhandara (5,747), Benipur (5,167), Pukhuria (5,904) and Dakshin Sahar (7,849).