It would not be wrong to say that Momtaz Begum has been a Bangladeshi household name, a veritable cultural icon. Almost every Bangladeshi, living in the country or abroad, has encountered her music in some form or other, whether it be played on one of Dhaka’s local buses or on TV during national celebrations.
Widely known colloquially as “Momtaz”, she was born in the village of Joymontop in Singair, Manikganj, in 1961. Influenced by her father Modhu Boyati, a Baul singer, she started performing from a very young age. Since then, she has gone on to sing in 700 albums.
According to Momtaz, her early albums were entirely self-financed, with later albums being picked up by producers, although they would offer her low fees in return, regardless of the success of her albums. During certain periods of her career, she claims to have recorded two albums per day.
Her impressive rise to fame is marked with smash hits such as Nantu Ghatak, Morar Kokile, and Pankha, which often accompany dance performances during special occasions and celebrations. Momtaz’s iconic status meant that she was frequently requested to perform in concerts and national events, and she has also performed internationally.
Momtaz won the Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer three times. A biopic based on her life was released in 2006.
On top of that, she endeared herself even more to her huge fanbase through commendable philanthropic actions when she established an eye hospital in her name in her native Joymontop, with the help of Orbis International. This act of kindness was carried out in loving memory of her father, who could not receive cataract surgery due to poverty.
Momtaz expanded her range of work and decided to dip her toe into politics. The year 2008 saw her first election as a Member of Parliament under the Bangladesh Awami League government. Her success continued through the 2014 and 2018 elections.
However, she failed to secure her place in the 12th parliamentary elections, defeated by independent candidate Dewan Zahid Ahmed Tulu.
Despite her fame, misconduct led to an arrest warrant being issued against her in West Bengal, India, in 2009. An event organiser, Shaktishankar Bagchi, alleged she took Rs1.4 million to perform at an event in 2008 but was absent and failed to refund the money.
Although she secured bail from a lower court, the complainant appealed to the Kolkata High Court in 2010. Momtaz received anticipatory bail three times; however, after skipping a court appearance again, another arrest warrant was reissued in 2023.
She was further embroiled in scandals in 2021, when she was accused of accepting an honorary doctorate degree from Global Human Peace University, in Tamil Nadu, India, although the institute is unrecognised by India’s University Grants Commission.
The last nail in the coffin came on Monday, 12 May 2025, when she was arrested by the Bangladesh Police due to her affiliation with the Awami League and their role in the July Revolution. Her charges include murder and attempted murder.
The unfortunate downfall of this icon is a disappointing turn of events. Momtaz’s career as a Bengali folk singer and cultural icon is definitely one for the history books — but perhaps for the wrong reasons.