[4] During the regime of the British Raj, Panchagarh was part of the Jalpaiguri district of undivided Bengal.

At that time, the headquarters of Jalpaiguri thana was situated in Jagdal upazila of the current Panchagarh district.

The thana was relocated at the bank of Karatoya River in its current position for environmental and transportation benefits.

After the Partition of India and Pakistan in 1947, Panchagarh was a thana under the Thakurgaon mahakuma in Dinajpur district.

On 1 January 1980, it was established as a mahakuma consisting of five thanas named Tetulia, Panchagarh Sadar, Atwari, Boda and Debiganj.

Panchagarh has 16 rivers, amongst which are the Karatoya (Karatoa), Atrai, Teesta, Nagor, Mahananda, Tangon, Dahuk, Pathraj, Bhulli, Talma, Chawai, Kurum, Tirnoi, and Chilka.

The place is of international character and used for Nepal transit traffic passing through a small corridor of India.

Industry for manufacturing SPC electric poles, established a plant (Gemcon Ltd.) on 35 acres in Panchagarh District.

The factory has created direct or indirect job opportunities for more than 1500 people and helping the nation to alleviate poverty.

Gem Jute promotes sustainable development and support the environment by providing high-quality, organic, biodegradable products to the world market.

Atwari, a popular tourist spot, has three domed mosques at Mirzapur, Chhaprajhar (Pahar Bhanga) and Sardarpara, which bear the relics of Mughal architecture and the remains of the Zamindar Bari of Aloakhoa.

During the War of Liberation in 1971, the guerrilla fighters demolished the bridge on the Chawai near the Amarkhana camp thereby obstructing the advance of the Pakistani army towards the north.

In the initial stage of the war, Maqbul Darji and the Badi Howladar (EPR) were killed in an encounter with the Pakistani army, which lost eighteen of its soldiers.

[citation needed] The Shaheed Farooque Ahmad Memorial Monument at Dhakka-mara in Panchagarh town, as well as the grave of the martyr freedom fighter Sakimuddin at Jagdal-hat in front of the Baital Aman mosque, mark the War of Liberation.

The road distance from Dhaka (capital city of Bangladesh) to Panchagarh is 475 kilometres (295 mi).

Road transportation between Dhaka and Panchagarh is a private sector affair, operating predominantly in domestic routes.