- Bangladesh said it had no prior knowledge that two of its nationals were facing the death penalty in Saudi Arabi
- The two Bangladeshis, a man and a woman, were executed in Mecca after being convicted of an indecent act inside a mosque
- Dhaka has contacted Riyadh seeking details about the offences and the legal process that led to the executions
Bangladesh has demanded an explanation from Saudi Arabia after two of its nationals were executed in Mecca without the Bangladeshi government being notified in advance.
Source: UGC
The two individuals, a man and a woman, were put to death last Wednesday following their conviction for committing an "indecent act" inside a mosque, according to a statement from the Saudi interior ministry.
The ministry did not elaborate on the precise nature of the act.
Bangladesh says they weren't informed
State minister for foreign affairs Shama Obaed Islam confirmed that Dhaka had contacted Riyadh requesting information about both the offences committed and the legal proceedings that followed.
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She said the government would then weigh further steps, including the possible repatriation of the bodies, once it received a response from Saudi authorities.
What makes the case particularly troubling for Bangladeshi officials is that the two nationals appeared on a prisoner list that Saudi Arabia had shared with Bangladesh following a request from the Bangladesh Consulate General in Jeddah. That list, however, carried no indication that either individual was facing a death sentence.
The pair were sentenced under "tazir," a category of punishment in Islamic law that leaves the nature and severity of the penalty to judicial discretion. Saudi authorities justified the sentences by citing the gravity of the offence and the violation of the mosque's sanctity.
Concern among the Bangladeshi public
The executions have stirred considerable unease in Bangladesh, where more than three million citizens live and work in Saudi Arabia, the majority in low-wage employment.
The two countries maintain a close relationship built on shared religious identity and deep economic links, making the lack of prior notification all the more unexpected for Bangladeshi officials.
Islam stressed that the government remained committed to protecting the welfare and rights of Bangladeshis living abroad, though she offered no specific details on what formal steps might follow once Saudi Arabia responds to the diplomatic inquiry.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
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