Saudi Arabia's execution of two Bangladeshis on 14 October has triggered concern in Bangladesh, particularly after the Bangladesh Consulate General in Jeddah said it had not been informed beforehand.
The kingdom's authorities identified the two as Nazrul Islam Abdul Bashir and Siti Akhtar, also known as Sweety Akhtar. Their executions have raised fresh questions about the treatment of Bangladeshi migrant workers facing criminal charges in the kingdom.
At least 19 Bangladeshis were documented as executed in Saudi Arabia across three reporting periods since 2010: 16 between 2010 and 2021, one in 2024 and two in October 2026.
The figures come from a joint human rights report and subsequent monitoring by the European Saudi Organisation for Human Rights (ESOHR). They do not, however, establish the complete number of Bangladeshis executed in the kingdom over the period, as a consolidated figure for every year is not available.
16 executed between 2010 and 2021
A joint report by Reprieve and ESOHR, published in January 2023, examined Saudi Arabia's use of the death penalty between 2010 and 2021. It documented 1,243 executions in the kingdom during those 12 years, including 16 Bangladeshi nationals.
The report highlighted the risks faced by foreign nationals, including migrant workers who may struggle to access legal representation, understand court proceedings conducted in Arabic or secure consular assistance.
Foreign nationals accounted for 490 of the executions documented during the period, or around 39% of the total. Pakistanis, Yemenis, Syrians, Egyptians and Bangladeshis were among the nationalities represented.
One of the most widely reported cases involving Bangladeshis occurred in October 2011, when Saudi Arabia executed eight Bangladeshi men convicted of involvement in the killing of an Egyptian security guard during a robbery. The executions took place in Riyadh and drew criticism from Amnesty International over concerns about the fairness of criminal proceedings.
The eight men were Ma'mun Abdul Mannan, Faruq Jamal, Sumon Miah, Mohammed Sumon, Shafiq al-Islam, Mas'ud Shamsul Haque, Abu al-Hussain Ahmed and Mutir al-Rahman.
One executed in 2024
Saudi Arabia executed 345 people in 2024, according to ESOHR's annual report published on 5 January 2025. The organisation recorded 138 foreign nationals among those executed, including one Bangladeshi.
The report said the kingdom's execution toll had more than doubled from 172 in 2023. The sharp rise included executions for drug-related offences and other charges, prompting renewed criticism from human rights organisations over the use of capital punishment.
Two executed in October 2026
Saudi Arabia executed two Bangladeshis in the Makkah region on 14 October, according to a statement by the Saudi Interior Ministry carried by the Saudi Press Agency.
The authorities said the two had been convicted of an act described as "immoral" inside a mosque. Their death sentences were imposed under ta'zir, a category of Islamic law that allows judicial discretion in determining punishment for certain offences.
Saudi Arabia executes hundreds every year
Saudi Arabia's use of capital punishment has increased sharply in recent years. ESOHR recorded 345 executions in 2024, while Human Rights Watch reported that the kingdom executed a record 356 people in 2025. These figures cover all nationalities, not just Bangladeshis.
The numbers highlight the scale of the issue for Bangladesh, which has around 3.5 million migrant workers in Saudi Arabia.