A civil court with a Judge was set up in 1868 and Patuakhali was established a subdivision of then Barisal District in 1871 by the help of Brajamohan Dutta.

On the northern bank of the river, in the village Laukathi, were the tahsil cutcheries of the principal landlords of the subdivision.

With the influx of population from the districts of Dhaka, Faridpur and Barisal a good market, a middle English school and a charitable dispensary were gradually established and trading firms opened up business.

The hospital was established in 1872, and was provided with a new building in 1904, the entire cost being borne by the late Nawab Sir Khwaja Ahsanullah Bahadur of Dacca.

Rice, firewood, coarse cloth made by the local weavers and hogla mats were the chief items of trade.

The area within the municipal limits was According to the 2011 Bangladesh census, Patuakhali Paurashava had 13,994 households and a population of 65,000.

Patuakhali has a literacy rate (age 7 and over) of 79.89%, compared to the national average of 59.5%, and a sex ratio of 933 females per 1000 males.

In 1884 the then SDO, Mr. Foyz Uddin Hossen allotted a new place and made a one storied brick building with the help of the government and money from the local people.

There is a bus station at Choumohoni a few kilometers away from the town and a launch terminal located at the other end which maintains communication with Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh.