Ex-MP, singer Momotaz Begum arrested in Dhaka

Popular folk singer and former Awami League MP for the Manikganj-2 constituency, Momotaz Begum, has been arrested by the Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, officials have confirmed.

According to a DB press release, she was detained around 12:15am on early Monday (May 12) from a residence behind Star Kabab in the capital’s Dhanmondi area.

DB Joint Commissioner Mohammad Nasirul Islam stated that Momotaz faces multiple charges, including a murder case, and was taken to the DB office for further questioning.

Momotaz, a prominent cultural figure, entered politics in 2008 when she was elected to a reserved women’s seat in the ninth National Parliament as a Bangladesh Awami League nominee. She later won the Manikganj-2 seat in the 2018 general election but lost her bid for re-election in 2024 during the 12th National Parliamentary polls.