Panchbibi Upazila HQ

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

Panchbibi Upazila (Joypurhat district) with an area of 278.53 sq km, is bounded by Hakimpur and Ghoraghat upazilas and West Bengal of India on the north, Joypurhat sadar upazila on the south, Gobindaganj and Kalai upazilas on the east, Joypurhat Sadar upazila and West Bengal of India on the west. Main rivers are Little Jamuna, Tulshiganga and Harabati.

The location of Panchbibi town is 25.1862486N 89.0139771E. Panchbibi (Town) consists of 9 wards and 13 mahallas. The area of the town is 5.83 sq km. The town has a population of 20120; male 52.30%, female 47.70%. The density of population is 3451 per sq km. The literacy rate among the town people is 52.2%. The town has a dakbungalow.

Panchbibi thana, now an upazila, was established in 1868. It consists of one municipality, 9 wards, 8 union parishads, 222 mouzas, 257 villages.

Archaeological relics and monuments: Remnants of the Rajbari at Atapur Union, tomb of Hazrat Abu Jafar Mohammad Nasiruddin Balkhi.

As of the 1991 Bangladesh census: Population 193365; male 51.06%, female 48.94%; Muslim 83.78%, Hindu 10.98%, Tribals and others 5.24%; ethnic nationals: Santal, Sadri (Munda, Oraon), Koch, Mhato, Malo, Shing.

Religious institutions: Mosque 298, temple 8, shrine 1, tomb 3, charge 1 most noted of which is Pathorghata Jami Mosque.

Literacy and educational institutions: Average literacy 30.6%; male 22.7%, female 22.7%. Educational institutions: government college 1, non-government college 4, government high school 2, non-government high school 22, junior school 10, madrasa 28, government primary school 58, non-government primary school 28. technical institution 1. Noted Educational institutions: Panchbibi Government LLB High School (1924), Mahabbatpur Aminia Kamil Madrasa (1948).

Cultural organisations: Club 17, public library 4, drama group 1, cinema hall 5, theatre 1, literary society 4, co operation group 306, women's organisation 70.

Main occupations: Agriculture 51.58%, agricultural labourer 26.31%, commerce 8.8%, wage labourer 2.12%, service 3.51%, others 7.68%.

Land use: Cultivable land 23166 hectares, fallow 4461 hectares; single crop 16%, double crop 67% and treble crop land 17%. Cultivable land under irrigation 62%.

Land control: Among the peasants 42% are landless, 36% small, 20% intermediate and 2% rich; land per head 0.12 hectares.

Fisheries, poultries Fisheries 1, poultry 22, hatchery 3.

Communication facilities- Roads: pucca 82 km, semi paucca 35 km, mud road 614 km; waterways 7 nautical mile; railway 12 km.

Manufactories: Flower mill 1, ice factory 3.

Cottage industries: Bamboo work 300, goldsmith 300, wood work 100, tailoring 200, blacksmith 45, potteries 20, welding 30.

NGO activities: Operationally important NGOs are brac, asa, thengamara mahila sabuj sangha, ITCL, PTCL, Jacks, proshika, Sawnirvar Bangladesh.

Health centres: Hospital 1, upazila health complex 1, union health centre 8.