Former Awami League parliamentarian and folk singer Momtaz Begum lost her shoes in the middle of a scuffle and chaotic scenes at the Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday as police escorted her to custody following a court order placing her on a four-day remand in Md Sagar murder case.
Momtaz was brought to the court premises at around 2:17pm. She was wearing a bulletproof vest and helmet under tight security.
However, the situation quickly turned tense as news of her arrival spread, drawing a crowd of lawyers, journalists, and bystanders.
Despite police cordons, the area outside the courtroom became increasingly congested, and shoving broke out as she was taken to the holding cell.
As officers rushed her through the corridor following the court’s remand order placed at around 3:30pm, her shoes came off in the melee.
Sub-Inspector Kamrur Islam, in charge of the court’s holding cell, told reporters that he had not noticed whether the accused was still wearing her shoes when she entered.
“She was sent from the holding cell. We could not keep track of her footwear amid the rush,” he said.
Witnesses later spotted the abandoned pair of shoes near the gate of the holding cell, matching those she was seen wearing in earlier footage from the Detective Branch office after her arrest on Monday night in Dhanmondi.
Throughout the incident, Momtaz kept her head down and said nothing as police guided her through the crowd. Several lawyers voiced frustration over the security protocol, with some reportedly jostling during the transfer.