“I do not know whether my daughter is alive or dead. I want my daughter back. Alive or dead, I want her back. The last time we spoke, she said she would return home in two months.”
A woman from Mirzapur in Tangail made the plea after hearing reports that two Bangladeshis had been executed in Saudi Arabia over alleged “immoral acts” at a mosque in Makkah and violating its sanctity and dignity.
Relatives say the woman went to Saudi Arabia for work nearly four years ago.
Her father borrowed money to pay Tk 150,000 to send her abroad. For the first five months, she sent money home. Then, one day, she called to say she had been taken to prison.
The family lost contact with her for about a year. Around 15 days ago, she called from prison and said she might be released in two months. But two days before the family heard that news, they learned that two Bangladeshis had been executed in Saudi Arabia.
The Saudi Press Agency reported the executions on Wednesday, citing the interior ministry. The two Bangladeshis had been accused of “immoral acts” at a mosque in Makkah and violating the mosque’s “sanctity and dignity”.
The woman’s father said his daughter had told him she was framed and sent to prison after an argument with several women working in Makkah.
“I do not know whether my daughter is alive or dead. I hear different things from people. The government has not informed us of anything so far,” he said.
Her mother said she had not spoken to her daughter for two weeks. During their last call, her daughter had promised to return home in two months. Now, the mother spends her days waiting.
“My daughter loved me very much. I want to know from the government what has happened to her. I want my daughter back,” she said.
Family members said the reports of the executions had left them consumed by anxiety.
They want official confirmation of what happened to their daughter and, if she has died, for her body to be brought home so they can see her one last time.
A local representative from the woman’s area said they had received no word from any government office.
Mirzapur Police chief Abdullah Al Mamun said police had yet to verify reports that the woman had been executed. Officers had been sent to her home to look into the matter.
Mirzapur Upazila administrator (UNO) Jahirul Alam said the administration had received no official information and had learned of the report through other channels. He said they would make inquiries.