several nationalist leaders of the subcontinent, including Ambica Charan Mazumdar, Humayun Kabir, Maulvi Tamizuddin Khan and Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The acclaimed American engineer Fazlur Rahman Khan was also born in the region. Faridpur saw intense fighting during the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971. It was one of original 18 subdivisions of Bangladesh at the time of independence. In 1984, the devolution reforms of President Hussain Muhammad Ershad divided the old subdivision into five districts. In 2015, the Government of Bangladesh announced plans to establish a Faridpur Division. Politics and local government The district has 9 upazilas, 4 municipalities, 36 wards, 100 mahallahs, 79 unions and 1,899 villages. The district has four parliamentary constituencies in the Jatiyo Sangshad. The Faridpur District Council is the highest tier of local government. List of upazilas The district's nine upazilas: Alfadanga Upazila Bhanga Upazila Boalmari Upazila Charbhadrasan Upazila Faridpur Sadar Upazila Madhukhali Upazila Nagarkanda Upazila Sadarpur Upazila Saltha Upazila Demographics According to the 2022 Bangladesh census, Faridpur District had a population of 2,162,405 , of which 1,050,193 were males and 1,112,061 were females. Rural population was 1,641,869 (85.83%) while urban population was 271,100 (14.17%). Faridpur had a literacy rate of 48.96% for the population 7 years and above: 50.29% for males and 47.69% for females. Muslims are the majority population with 90.49%, while Hindus are 9.43%. The Hindu population decreased from 1.95 lakh in 1981 to just over 1.8 lakh today. Economy Faridpur is an important centre of the jute trade and hilsa fish trade. Its industrial sector features numerous jute mills, sugar mills and a 50 MW thermal power plant. In terms of transport, Faridpur is an important hub of the Bangladesh Railway, with its tracks connected to the Indian Railways in West Bengal. It is linked by road with Kushtia, Meherpur, Khulna, Barisal, and Jessore. Culture and sport Faridpur District has a rich heritage of folk music, including Baul, Marami, Bichar, Murshidi-Marfati, Fakirali, Gazirgan, Kabigan, Jarigan music. However many of these traditions are extinct. Major festivals include Eid, Nabanna, Pous Utshab, Rathjatra, Dol Purnima Utshab and Durga Puja. Folk festivities are held on the occasion of Annaprashana, Muharram, Bengali weddings, Jamai Shasthi, Bhadra Mangal Chandi. Folk games of the district include Dariabandha, boat racing, Ha-du-du and cock fighting. Major contemporary and historical publications include Jagaran, Ganaman (1370 BS), Chashi Barta, Idaning, Thikana, Bhorer Runner, Faridpur (1997), Kumar (2006); Weekly: Kalbhabna (2004), Pragotir Din