Saudi authorities did not officially inform Bangladesh either before or after the execution of two Bangladeshi nationals in Saudi Arabia. Even the Bangladesh Consulate in Jeddah was unaware of whether a death sentence had been handed down against them. After learning about the execution from media reports, Bangladesh has now sent a diplomatic note to the Saudi authorities requesting a copy of the verdict and detailed information regarding the case.
The two executed Bangladeshis are Nazrul Islam and Sweety Akter. The letter stated that the consulate learned about their execution on October 14 from reports published in several Saudi media outlets, citing a statement from the Saudi Ministry of Information. According to the statement, their execution was carried out in the Makkah region. The allegation against them was that they violated the sanctity of the holy city of Makkah by engaging in immoral acts inside a mosque.
However, the letter mentioned that Saudi authorities did not provide the consulate with any details of the charges brought against the two Bangladeshis, the judicial process, or the death sentence.
According to the consulate's letter, a request had been made to the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs seeking information on Bangladeshis detained in various prisons in the western region of Saudi Arabia. Based on that request, the list received on September 30 included the names of Nazrul Islam and Sweety Akter. The list stated that they worked as cleaners at an establishment named Al Majal in Saudi Arabia.
According to the information in the list, Nazrul Islam was detained on August 1, 2023, on charges related to information technology crimes. Sweety Akter was detained the following day on charges of adultery. Nazrul was held in the Jeddah Correctional Facility and Sweety in the Jeddah Women's Prison. However, that list contained no information regarding their punishment or death sentence.
The letter further stated that the consulate is unaware of any prior precedent of a Bangladeshi's death sentence being carried out in Saudi Arabia on charges of information technology crimes or adultery. Furthermore, no application or communication has been received from the families of the two Bangladeshis seeking legal assistance. The Saudi authorities also did not inform Bangladesh about the pronouncement or execution of their death sentences.
Meanwhile, the list held by the consulate contains information on 306 Bangladeshis detained in prisons across the western region of Saudi Arabia on various morality-related cases. Among them, sentences of varying terms have been handed down against 147 individuals. The durations of these sentences range from one month to 15 years.
