Saudi executions expose gaps in communication

The executions of two Bangladeshis in Saudi Arabia without detailed prior notification to Dhaka have exposed gaps in diplomatic communication between the two countries.

Meanwhile, the fate of 20 other Bangladeshis listed as convicted in the kingdom also remains unclear.

Nazrul Islam Abdul Basir and Sweety Akhtar were executed in the Makkah region on October 14. Their names appeared on a list of Bangladeshi prisoners shared by Saudi authorities with the Bangladesh Consulate in Jeddah. 

However, the list did not specify their verdicts or sentences.

The cases have raised questions about whether Bangladesh’s missions receive adequate information on legal proceedings involving migrant workers and how effectively they can provide consular protection.

An official at the consulate, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Saudi authorities shared a list of around 2,500 Bangladeshi prisoners and detainees in September.

“After the incidents involving Nazrul and Sweety, we examined the list carefully and found 20 other Bangladeshis whose status was marked as convicted, but their sentences were not mentioned,” the official said.

“Bangladesh has a large diaspora in the kingdom, about 3 million, which is why the number of prisoners is high. As a result, consular services have to prioritise the needs of prisoners based on the nature of their sentences,” the official added.

On October 20, the consulate sent a diplomatic letter to the Makkah regional branch of the Saudi Foreign Ministry in Jeddah, seeking details of the verdicts and sentences of all 22 Bangladeshis, including the two who were executed.

The letter said their prisoner status was marked as convicted, but the judgment summaries were blank. 

It added that the summaries were needed to provide consular services.

According to the Saudi list, eight of the 22 were tried in murder cases, five in drug trafficking cases and five in cases related to private rights. Two faced charges of violating state laws, one of cybercrime and one of adultery.

Six were held at Jeddah’s Jabban prison, six at Shumaisi and four at Jeddah General Prison. 

The remaining six were held in women’s prisons in Najran, Khamis, Al-Baha, Hadda and Jeddah.

OBLIGATIONS, REMEDIES

Shahab Enam Khan, a professor of international relations at Jahangirnagar University, said articles 36 and 37 of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations set out obligations relating to consular communication and notification when foreign nationals are detained or die. 

“In a modern state system, a lack of communication when a death sentence is handed down is unfortunate. 

“Bangladesh is not the only country benefiting from the hard-earned remittances; Saudi Arabia benefits too, as Bangladeshi workers perform some of the toughest jobs in the harshest climatic conditions,” he said.

“Bangladesh needs to move away from the unnecessary colonial-era pattern of diplomatic postings. If we are genuinely committed to the welfare of our nationals in Saudi Arabia, we need to create positions for lawyer consuls who are experts in local and labour law, arbitration, and other relevant legal matters.

“We also need to establish a legal financing fund to assist our nationals in Saudi Arabia,” he added.

Shahab said detainees were particularly vulnerable when they lacked command of the local language, making it difficult for them to follow legal proceedings or defend themselves. 

Diplomatic engagement and legal mechanisms aligned with international standards could help address these communication gaps, he said.

RELEASE, PARDON SOUGHT 

Following the executions, the consulate faced media scrutiny over its handling of the cases.

In a separate letter sent on the same day, it asked Saudi authorities to consider the release, deportation or pardon of Bangladeshi prisoners and detainees, as well as expedited adjudication of pending cases, under five categories.

For those who have completed their sentences, the consulate requested immediate release and deportation.

For prisoners who have served part of their sentences and maintained good conduct, it sought a royal pardon, release, and deportation. 

It also requested pardons for the unserved portions of sentences for first-time detainees who had served part of their terms, and for those who were held in minor cases and completed part of their sentences.

For detainees whose cases were still under consideration, it sought steps to expedite adjudication.

19 EXECUTED SINCE 2010 

A 2022 report by the Europe-based European Saudi Organization for Human Rights, titled “Bloodshed and Lies: Mohammed bin Salman’s Kingdom of Executions”, documented at least 16 executions of Bangladeshis between 2010 and 2021.

A 2025 report documented at least one more. 

With the two executions on October 14, the total has reached at least 19.

The organisation said Saudi Arabia executed 1,243 people between 2010 and 2021, including 490 foreign nationals. 

Pakistanis accounted for the largest number of foreign nationals executed, at 164, followed by Yemenis (92), Syrians (58), Egyptians (26), Jordanians (25), Nigerians (17), Ethiopians (15) and Chadians (14).