Two Bangladeshis Sentenced to Death in Saudi Arabia: What the Consulate’s Letter Reveals
Neither the Bangladesh Embassy in Saudi Arabia nor the Bangladesh Consulate General in Jeddah had prior knowledge of the executions of two Bangladeshi nationals, Nazrul Islam and Sweety Akter. Saudi authorities did not formally notify Bangladesh of the executions.
The information emerged from a letter sent by the consulate’s Labour Welfare Wing to the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment on October 18.
The consulate learned about the executions on October 14 through Saudi media reports quoting a statement from the Saudi Interior Ministry. The executions took place in the Makkah region. The two Bangladeshis were accused of committing immoral acts inside a mosque in Makkah, thereby violating its sanctity. However, Saudi authorities did not provide details of the cases.
The consulate had earlier requested a list of Bangladeshis detained in prisons in western Saudi Arabia. It received the list on September 30, which included the names of Nazrul Islam and Sweety Akter but did not specify their sentences.
Both had worked as cleaners for Al Majal. Nazrul was detained on August 1, 2023, over an alleged information technology-related offence, while Sweety was detained the following day on an adultery allegation. Nazrul was held at the Jeddah Correctional Facility, and Sweety at Jeddah Women’s Prison.
No Previous Record of Similar Cases
According to the letter, the consulate had no previous record of any Bangladeshi national being sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia for an information technology-related offence or adultery.
The letter also stated that 306 Bangladeshis were being held in prisons in western Saudi Arabia in cases related to morality. Of them, 147 had received prison sentences ranging from one month to 15 years.
No Requests for Legal Assistance
The families of the two Bangladeshis had not sought legal assistance from the consulate, and the consulate had not contacted them.
Following the executions, the consulate sent a diplomatic note to the Makkah branch of the Saudi Foreign Ministry, requesting copies of the verdicts and detailed information about the cases. It said a detailed report would be sent to the ministry after the documents were received.
