Despite strict police security, BNP activists and onlookers hurled eggs and shoes at a prison van carrying former Awami League lawmaker of Manikganj-2 constituency and renowned singer Momtaz Begum as she was brought to court on Thursday.
The incident took place in front of the Manikganj Chief Judicial Magistrate Court, drawing attention and sparking chaos in the area.
Witnesses said the van came under attack from a crowd comprising BNP leaders, activists, and curious locals, many of whom shouted slogans and demanded capital punishment for the former MP.
The situation grew tense as police struggled to control the agitated crowd.
Earlier in the morning around 8:30am, Momtaz was transported from Gazipur’s Kashimpur Central Jail under heavy police escort.
Wearing a bulletproof vest and helmet, she was brought before two separate courts in Manikganj for remand hearings in connection with multiple cases, including a 2013 murder case.
Judge Mohammad Abdun Nur of Senior Judicial Magistrate Court-1 granted a four-day remand after the investigation officer sought seven days.
Later, Judge Ivy Akter of Senior Judicial Magistrate Court-3 approved an additional two-day remand in a separate case, also following a seven-day request—bringing the total to six days.
Inside the courtroom, scuffles broke out between police and pro-BNP lawyers as Momtaz was brought before the judge.
According to Manikganj Court OC Abul Khayer, no legal representative appeared on behalf of Momtaz during the hearings. He confirmed the remand orders issued by both courts.
According to OC Khayer, on a hartal (strike) day in 2013, police opened fire on a procession in support of the strike in Gobindal, Singair upazila, resulting in four deaths.
On October 25 of last year, Md Mojnu Molla of Gobindal village filed a murder case at Singair police station, naming Momtaz as the prime accused, said OC Khayer.
Another case was also filed in Harirampur police station alleging assault, vandalism, and attacks in her electoral constituency. That case was filed on October 29 last year by Md Delwar Hossain, organizational secretary of Harirampur upazila BNP, added the OC.
Momtaz Begum entered politics in 2008 as a general member of the Awami League and was nominated to a reserved women's seat in the 9th National Parliament.
Since then, she reportedly began establishing dominance in her area. In 2014, she was elected as an Awami League MP for Manikganj-2 (Singair and Harirampur).
In 2015, she became president of the Singair upazila Awami League.
Allegations later surfaced accusing her and her associates of extortion in the transport sector, irregularities in tenders, and corruption in appointments and promotions.
She was re-elected in the 2018 national election, but in the 2024 12th National Parliament election, she lost to the party's independent candidate Dewan Zahid Ahmed Tulu. However, she still holds the position of president of the upazila Awami League.
During the Awami League’s time in power, Momtaz drew significant controversy for her crude remarks about former president Ziaur Rahman in Parliament and for singing during parliamentary sessions.
