Judiciary
Panchagarh

In ancient times there was a region called 'Panchanagari' within the kingdom of Pundravardhana. Over time, Panchanagari emerged as 'Panchgarh'. 'Panch' (five) is a corruption of the name 'Panchgarh'. But it is not entirely certain that the name of this region was Panchagarh. The possibility of naming Panchagarh as a part of Panchagarh according to Prakrit linguistic features remains. That is, Panchagauda > Panchagauda > Panchagauda. However, according to another widely held theory, the name "Panchgarh" is derived from the prominent location of the five gardas in the region.

Again, in a slightly different way, the word 'Panch' means 'five', and the word 'Gar' means 'forest or jungle'. As the region was forested before the partition of India, the area may have been named 'Panchgarh'. However, due to the development of settlements, the wild land is almost non-existent.

Panchagarh is an ancient town. During the ancient and medieval times, the land was bordered by the kingdoms of Magadha, Mithila, Gaur, Nepal, Bhutan, Sikkim and Assam. The township was a frontier region in the past as well as in modern times. This territory was successively ruled by kings of Pragjyotish, Kamarupa, Kamta, Kuchvihar and Gaur kingdoms, Badshas, Subadars and native kings and landlords of Baikunthapur Anga kingdom under direct control. During the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD, Raja 'Shalibahan', Raja 'Prithu' and Raja 'Jallesh' built cities and prosperous settlements in Shalbahan and Bhitargarh areas of Panchagarh. Maurya, Gupta and Pala kings also ruled the region.

In the early medieval period, Ikhtiyar Uddin Muhammad bin Bakhtiyar Khalji, the first Muslim general to conquer Bengal, is said to have passed through the town of Panchagarh at one point in his much-controversial campaign in Tibet. Sultan Hussain Shah and Kamtar Raja Neeldhwaj are said to have been born in Debnagar village of Tentulia police station. The name and memory of Panchagarh township is closely associated with historical figures like Sultan Jalal Uddin Fateh Shah, Sultan Barbak Shah, Sher Shah, Khurram Khan (Shah Jahan), Mirjumla, Subadar Ibrahim Khan Fateh Jang and during the late Middle Ages Devi Chaudhurani, Bhabani Pathak, Fakir Majnushah etc. Since the formation of the state of Cooch Behar in the 16th century until 1947, the Panchagarh region was mainly ruled directly and indirectly by the Koch Rajyavarga.

After the partition of India in 1947, Panchagarh police station was included in Thakurgaon subdivision of Dinajpur district. In 1947, Thakurgaon started its journey as a subdivision of 10 police stations with 6 police stations of Thakurgaon subdivision and 3 police stations of Jalpaiguri district of India and 1 police station of Cooch Behar district (Panchgarh, Boda, Tetulia and Debiganj). On January 1, 1980, Panchagarh Sub-Division was created with 5 Thana Tetulia, Panchagarh Sadar, Atwari, Boda and Debiganj of Thakurgaon Sub-Division. Sub-divisional headquarters are established at Panchagarh police station. The first Sub-Divisional Administrator was Syed Abdur Rashid (1980-1982). On February 1, 1984, Panchagarh Sub-Division was elevated to District.

Panchagarh is the northernmost district of Bangladesh. District Judge Court of Panchagarh was established in the same year i.e. 1984 as other district based institutions. Mr. Md. Arayes Uddin served as the first District Judge. Presently, Mr. Md. Gholam Faruque  is serving his duty as the 18th District and Sessions Judge with devotion. In 2007, the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court was established in Panchgarh after the separation of the Judiciary Department from the Civil Department. In 2018, the eight-storied  Chief Judicial Magistrate Court Building was constructed. The Nari and Shishu Nirjaton Domon Tribunal was established in 2021. The Tribunal is headed by a Judge of the rank of District  Judge. Besides, the District Legal Aid Office, run by a Judge of the rank of Senior Assistant Judge, is providing legal assistance to the poor, distressed and indigent judicial candidates. Since its inception, Panchagarh Judiciary has been working tirelessly to ensure judicial services to the aspirants.