Art and politics do not mix. Not everyone can be artists, but many can be taught to be politicians —- Jasmine Alexander, Actress, Author, Filmmaker and Social Media Influencer
I do not necessarily agree with the first sentence of the above statement. Let us take the case of Bruce Springsteen, for example. All through his career he has performed songs that are viewed as political. He never shied away from expressing his political beliefs. In support of that let me start with a couple of questions here. 1) Should an artist ever sacrifice her/his trade for political power? 2) Should artists distance themselves from politics? If artists from all genres decide to follow this rule, then how would they really do it without participating in the political atmosphere of that respective country? After all, politics reflect the real life of the people. Art transcends time and place. Be that as it may, an artist has to live in a society and is bound to be influenced by the politics of that country. Who made up this unspoken law that an artist, singer, painter, and a sculptor cannot have any political affiliation, nor should they ever get political? How is this even possible? For instance, couldn’t a singer’s voice be used for something else other than singing? Any celebrity, whether it is a musician, or a painter, are often belittled for their opinions on politics. They are ostracized if they join active politics by seeking a position in the government. It happened to Momtaz Begum, a Bangladeshi folk music queen. As long as glittery, vibrant, and bubbly Momtaz Begum had mesmerized her audience, her fan base was behind her. People expected her only to excel in music and criticized her for having political opinions after she became an elected member of the parliament three times. In the last election she contested but lost.
Performing live from the stages of London, Paris, and Tokyo – Bangladeshi Momtaz Begum had enthralled her audience from the get-go for almost four decades. Within a few years – Momtaz had evolved from a plain country singer adored for her baul (religious singers who are known for their spontaneity and songs that are mystical in nature) and paala gaan (narrative folk ballad about Gods and religious hymns,) to a superstar of folk music. Momtaz remained authentic in all genres of music — folk, baul, pala and lok geeti (folk songs.) Now all that is submerged in murky water. Her political career ended with the fall of the Awami League government. Whether her music career is over and done with is anybody’s guess. Momtaz now is a fugitive as she was sued with other cultural personalities who had links with the former PM Sheikh Hasina and her government. Law enforcement officials of the interim government are arresting many eminent cultural figures in the cultural arena with Awami League connections. Or there is a warrant out for their arrest. These people are now considered either a “thief or a murderer.” After their arrest they are housed in makeshift jails and held without bail.
Joining the Awami League once became a catalyst for Momtaz. Due to that and her brazen displays of cronyism when it came to former PM Hasina, she has temporarily lost her place as a celebrated singer. She no longer is revered for her musical talent. Though we see a separate set of rules are in place for the so-called “elite” singers who once were close to Sheikh Hasina and her sister Rehana. Without naming a particular singer, I want to point out that both the Sheikh Sisters were very taken with that Rabindra sangeet artist. The sisters adored her, and once had interrupted her live morning show to wish her a happy birthday. Another prominent Tagore singer used to be a frequent invitee at Hasina’s residence during an evening soiree. Then why are such artists considered safe and Momtaz has turned out to be a criminal? Could it be that Momtaz Begum was always looked down on because of her modest background? Did Dhaka’s cultural-minded “elite” class consider Momtaz a crass and not sophisticated enough for their taste?
A few weeks ago, while in hiding, to test the water Momtaz had uploaded a new song on her verified FB page (I read about it) hoping to garner support from her fans. But it backfired. People ostracized her in the comment section labeling her a traitor, and former PM Hasina’s chum. It is rather disheartening to learn that Momtaz has become an absconder (in the eyes of her fans) from a celebrated singer. The general consensus is she should not have bothered with politics. Until a few months ago, Momtaz had millions of fans across the globe.
Do people own the artists, and do they have the right to say that she should have remained a singer and not aspire to become an MP? I do not know where her inspiration came from to join politics. She perhaps wanted to follow actor Kabori (the sweetheart of Bengali cinema for more than three decades) who became a one-term MP. Or maybe she was looking across the border and got encouraged by some of them. At the top of my head, famed actor and Tagore singer turned BJP politician Roopa Ganguly’s name popped into my head.
Momtaz is the daughter of a prominent Baul singer Madhu Bayati. Till date she has recorded more than 700 songs in her four-decade career. Begum has won the Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer three times for the films Nekabborer Mohaproyan (2014), Swatta (2017) and Maya: The Lost Mother (2019).
In 2021, Momtaz Begum was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Music from Global Human Peace University in Tamil Nadu, India. According to The Business Standard, she was awarded this honor for being the only musician in the world to record more than 700 hundred solo albums. The award also was to recognize how Momtaz had presented Bengali music to the world for a long period of time. It was also to recognize that she has “engaged in various activities besides social service.” Without an iota of doubt Momtaz has the natural ability to appreciate folk music and also modernized it for the younger generation of music lovers.
Momtaz comes from a very humble beginning. Quick success was culpable for her messy personal life as success got to her. Momtaz was unable to manage the glitzy and glamorous show business scene like a pro. As a result, she was exploited by some scrupulous men in the music industry. She had made wrong choices in her personal life which includes selecting a life partner because of a wild lifestyle. In the span of a few years, she went through multiple marriages, affairs, and subsequent divorces. I once read that Momtaz has no formal education. Therefore, she needed help from others to learn the basic tricks about how to be a successful performer. Momtaz had to learn to speak in proper Bengali and took lessons from a voice coach to drop the village accent. She had to hire a personal stylist to teach her how to dress right for a live performance among many other things. The new transformation was a see-through as she was loud and lacked class. Though her boisterous nature helped her immensely and she knew how to work the crowd. She was born to be on stage.
Indeed, up until now, Momtaz had lived a colorful life. After performing in many states in the United States, Momtaz returned to Bangladesh last June. At the time, rumors circulated about her contracting AIDS. She seemed surprised upon learning such a report was circulating and disputed it as mere rumor. She assured her fans that she is fine and booked back to back for more international tours at the end of summer. That did not happen.
She is currently in some secret location either in Bangladesh or outside of the country.
As an MP, Momtaz became a controversial figure by making herself a caricature in the parliament during live sessions. To entertain and please Sheikh Hasina she did many weird things while parliament was in session. Often, to answer a question by any opposition MP she would instantly make up a song – as if she were there to provide comic relief during a long session where all the MPs were discussing (actually yelling) an agenda for the day. She seemed oblivious to the fact that she seemed like a joker, and everyone was having fun at her expense when she referred to Hasina as “My netri” (leader.) Isn’t sycophancy at its highest when she did it? I remember how Momtaz had remained undaunted while singing live in the National Parliament on June 14, 2014. As she sang to glorify Sheikh Hasina, all the members of the parliament cheered her on. They were tapping their fingers on the table – while the PM looked on with an amusing smile. Such tamasha went on for years!
Nonetheless criticisms did not deter Momtaz Begum from sounding positive. She knew her followers loved her. Behind her success were her supporters who gave her their undying love and support as she was or rather is an unparalleled singer of folk songs. She considers “human love” (meaning adoration from her fans) her single most achievement. Earlier in the year in an interview she had said, “I know what I was, where I am today by the infinite mercy of God. No matter how I live, or where I live, I have not forgotten my roots, I have not forgotten my past, and I have not forgotten those who were behind my becoming today. I have not forgotten the common people in my area.”
Despite the recent developments if one only judges her as a musician, he/she will not be disappointed. She is all hearts there. By putting one of her songs on if you just close your eyes- you can hear a pure folk artist at her finest.
The appetite for power became a nuisance in bringing her fall from grace.
As a performer, wearing her glittery saris and heaps of gold jewelry, she performed at the ICC World Twenty opening concert in Dhaka, under a tent in a mufaswal town, or a Baishakhi Utshab (Bengali New Year) at Dhaka’s Ramna Park. Momtaz had continued to dazzle and captivate her fans. Like the Pied Piper of Hamelin — her music enchanted people, and they followed this enchantress everywhere she went, flocking to listen to her. Through her intoxicating songs, she captured the imagination of the listeners. In part because of the uniqueness of her lyrics, her music has a universal charm. Undeniably, Momtaz Begum’s music transcends time and place.
Young and old alike used to long for her music; her audience ranges from topi-wearing bearded grandfathers and toothless grandmothers to ten-year-old boys and girls. While on the world stage, her admirers are of a slightly different variety – energetic youth, posh city women, and probashis from diverse ethnicities – dancing away to her music in frenzy. It is rather sad that now many consider her a pariah.
It should not happen to any musician.
Music is an internal thing in our minds, an abstract idea. For each one of us, music’s primary effect is an emotional experience. Music opens up our imagination like a blank canvas to paint on. Whether we are listening to Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, or a folk song sung by Momtaz Begum – music is a different process for each one of us, with a different appeal for each listener.
Replaying a song can mean replaying an experience in the head. When we play a song or accidentally stumble upon one, that particular song can immediately link up with the memories that we once had, or places that we have been to. It can lighten our hearts like nothing else can.
Recently, I found an old CD of Pratima Banerjee while cleaning my garage. Those songs over time had been forgotten. As soon as the melody of the first note of Mone agun jole chokhe keno jolena…chokhete shagor aache agun je shoi dhorena came on, it immediately took me back to an afternoon of my younger years.
Memories came rushing back in huge tidal waves. I could clearly recall that girl in uniform returning home from school and going into the drawing room. There I dropped down on the floor in front of my Barda’s Stereo Radiogram. That vintage thing was very trendy, and it had a fine cabinet with a rich mahogany finish. I used to play the Pratima Banerjee record in his Radiogram as he would be at the office in the late afternoon. I still remember the captivated feelings that I had experienced in her music. Such is the power of music; it stays with you forever.
Similarly, listening to the folk songs of Momtaz Begum over the years has infused in me a fresh energy, a feeling that her music is pure and absolute perfection. We come away with the feeling that for our spiritual fulfillment, we all need to experience love. Momtaz Begum’s folk songs tell us a universal story — we all ache for love and a magical connection with a special person. I also find her music to be a form of total cultural immersion. Many details went into the creation of her songs, and those songs resonate with us. With the ensemble playing in the background in orchestral unison, her songs touch my emotions.
Momtaz Begum’s folk songs are manifestations of love, longing, romance, heartbreak, and betrayal. Her super hit song, Khairun lo tor lomba mathar kesh / chirol daater hashi diya pagol korli desh –- is mainly a celebration of the ideas of love and beauty. The power of love is amplified in this particular song. The first musical theme is focused on the epitome of feminine beauty –- a woman with long hair, kajol rimmed almond-eyes, and a gorgeous smile.
In this particular song Momtaz is first appealing to the masses, creating an alluring Bengali girl with a flawless figure. But Khairun is not exactly a real person and is more a personification of love and longing. She is the embodiment of a persona, a goddess that everyone desires, and the symbol of a fantasy woman that every man pines for. In these lyrics, she encourages her audience to go after their dream of finding the perfect person.
When I watched the music video of the actual song a few years back, the invocation of the village scene came alive. The video adds to the ambience and the quintessential idea that love and longing dwell in the muddy patched huts of rural Bangladesh. At the same time, the same idea finds its place in the hearts of the city dwellers as well.
Begum’s music connects us as a group into a close-knit community of listeners of music. Even in solitude when I listen to this particular song, I feel that I am interacting with other people. The rhythm, the melody, and the harmony provide me with an escape deep into myself, and I feel the music in my soul. When the song accelerates, and the beats get faster – it evokes the intensity of a multitude of emotions.
Momtaz and her band worked together in perfect synchronization, as she took the lead. Her voice is the most powerful element of this extremely romantic and hopeful song, complemented by her gestures and shoulder moves. Momtaz is also communicating her emotions with her audience, so the scenes from the song can be easily imagined even without seeing the video.
The hit song is composed of the sound of the flute, tabla, dhol, guitar, drums, keyboard, and the saxophone, all mimicking the earrings, glass bangles, and the jingles of the ghungroo bells that Khairun is wearing. The entire song is full of rhythm to evoke the image of this girl walking. In the video, we see Khairun paying homage to village life by wearing lots of jewels — so does Momtaz while performing.
The band also works to bring alive this rural girl, this idea of Khairun, helping us become further immersed in the rustic scenes. The bansuri flute is an immensely powerful part of the song. The flute player seems to be both playful and melancholy at the same time. He even seems a little flirtatious as he opens the song. As soon as the flute plays its first melodic note, we know that it is going to be a joyful song with a slight touch of wistfulness.
As Momtaz sings the first line with her ensemble, we can picture this long haired Khairun – an exotic creature, with fuler mala around her neck, and with her decorative kolshi walking towards the river bank. The lyrics and the sounds bring up a perfectly orchestrated image of a girl with a dazzling smile. The girl is full of joy and innocence. The dhuli in the song is lost in the beat and the music. As the song progresses with more intensity, we see the dhuli spinning around as it represents the idea of becoming pagol, since love is like madness. As the song becomes more forceful, it mimics that process.
The ensemble of this powerful song is secondary to the exceptional presentation of Momtaz. She has control of the stage. The instrumentalists are merely supporting her to make the scene livelier and more vivid. She is just rock-solid and flawless here, constantly happy, and joyful in delivering a celebratory song.
Momtaz is mainly a folk singer and therefore, many do not regard her as a “cultured” person. This is a sad reality in Bangladesh.
If former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who was all set to become a Concert pianist and later opted for a career in diplomacy and is well regarded for it then why ex MP Momtaz Begum has become a despicable character in the eyes of society? Had she not been sued by the interim government then Momtaz would have kept on entertaining her fans with her formidable stage presence and powerful lyrics. She would go on with her scheduled concerts at home and continued on with her tours in other countries. For becoming a politician and for having prior association with the AL government is the reason for her to be in the current predicament. Now she is being hunted down like a common criminal to be brought to justice.
Vivacious Momtaz Begum’s fans once had surpassed millions. As a successful musician she has proven time and again that she belongs on stage performing music. I hope she will come out of hiding and face whatever they are charging her with and clear her name. As a musician, she has the ability to change popular culture, and in this instance, it is her folk music that can unite everyone again. If not for her political views but for her contribution to the enhancement of Bengali folk music, I am optimistic that Momtaz will make a comeback to reclaim her title as the “darling daughter of Bengal.”
Zeenat Khan writes from Maryland, USA.
