Palashbari Upazila (gaibandha district) with an area of 190.67 sq km, is bounded by pirganj (Rangpur), sadullapur and gaibandha sadar upazilas on the north, gobindaganj upazila on the south, Gaibandha Sadar and sughatta upazilas on the east and ghoraghat upazila on the west. Main rivers are Karatoya, Nalua and Marichi; Ajrar Beel is notable; jalmahal 27.

Palashbari (Town) consists of 8 mouzas. The area of the town is 6.63 sq km. It has a population of 14912; male 51.85%, female 48.15%. Population density per sq km 2249. Literacy rate among the town people is 39.6%. The town has one dakbungalow.

Administration Palashbari thana was established in 1918 and was turned into an upazila in 1983. The upazila consists of nine union parishads, 161 mouzas and 160 villages.

Population 210806; male 50.54%, female 49.46%; Muslim 92.48%, Hindu 7.02% and others 0.5%; ethnic nationals: Santal, population 4165.

Religious institutions Mosque 298, temple 13, most of which are Palashbari Jami Mosque and Kalibari Mandir.

Literacy and educational institutions Average literacy 19.5%; male 27.6% and female 11%. Educational institutions: college 4, secondary school 40, madrasa 16, government primary school 84, non-government primary school 85, satellite school 18. Noted educational institution: Palashbari SM Pilot High School (1911).

Main occupations Agriculture 43.68%, agricultural labourer 28.05%, wage labourer 2.47%, commerce 8.79%, service 4.44%, transport 2.55% and others 10.02%.

Land use Total cultivable land 15726 hectares, fallow land 140 hectares; single crop land 25%, double crop 45% and treble crop land 30%.

Land control Among the peasants 29% are landless, 39% marginal, 13% small, 17% intermediate and 2% rich; cultivable land per head 0.07 hectare.

Value of land The market value of the land of the first grade is Tk 7500 per 0.01 hectare.

Main crops Paddy, jute, sugarcane, potato.

Extinct or nearly extinct crops Kaun, sweet potato, musur (pulse).

Main fruits Mango, jackfruit, papaya, black berry and banana.

Fisheries, dairies, poultries Poultry 44, diary 57 and fishery 20.

Communication facilities Roads: pucca 50 km, semi pucca 2 km and mud road 345 km.

Traditional transport palanquin, horse carriage, and bullock cart. These means of transport are either extinct or nearly extinct.

Manufactories Ice factory 10, brick field 12 and welding 11.

Cottage industries Handicraft 1, goldsmith 20, blacksmith 40, potteries 45, wood work 150, tailoring 200 and bidi 1.

Hats, bazars and fairs Noted hats, bazars and fair are Mather Hat, Kalibari Hat, Amlagachhi Hat and Kalibari Puja Mela.

Main exports Leather and banana.

NGO activities Operationally important NGOs are brac, grameen bank, asa, proshika, HEED Bangladesh, thengamara mahila sabuj sangha, Partner, nijera kari, Palli Agragati Sangstha.

Health centres Upazila health complex 1, family planning centre 9, cattle breeding sub centre 2. [Asma Parveen]