Saudi Arabia executed two Bangladeshi nationals on October 14 after a court convicted them over an unspecified act inside a mosque in Mecca.
Bangladesh’s Consulate General in Jeddah reportedly submitted a diplomatic note after saying it had not received advance notification of the executions.
Saudi authorities have not publicly detailed the alleged conduct, while the case has drawn attention to capital punishment and transparency in proceedings involving foreign nationals.
Saudi Arabia has executed two Bangladeshi nationals after a court convicted them of committing what authorities described as an “immoral act” inside a mosque in the holy city of Mecca. The executions were carried out on October 14 in the Mecca region, according to a statement from the Saudi Ministry of Interior published by the state-run Saudi Press Agency. The ministry identified the individuals as Nazerul Islam Abdul Basir and Siti Akhtar.
The case has drawn attention after Bangladesh’s Consulate General in Jeddah said it had not been informed of the executions beforehand. The consulate has submitted a formal diplomatic note, known as a note verbale, to Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, requesting official acknowledgement of the executions. The development was reported by Bangladeshi newspaper The Daily Star.
Saudi authorities said the pair were arrested by security personnel and charged following an investigation. A competent court found them guilty and imposed the death penalty under ta’zir, a form of discretionary punishment under Islamic law. The verdict was upheld by the relevant judicial authority before a royal order was issued to carry out the sentences.
What Saudi Authorities Said About The Case
The Saudi Ministry of Interior cited the seriousness of the offence and the violation of the sanctity of the mosque and the circumstances in which the alleged act took place. However, the official statement did not describe the precise nature of the conduct, identify the mosque or provide details about when the two individuals were arrested. The available information therefore does not establish exactly what occurred inside the mosque.
The ministry said the sentences followed the completion of judicial proceedings and the approval of the relevant authorities. It also reiterated the government’s commitment to enforcing Saudi law and maintaining the sanctity of mosques. The executions were carried out after the royal order was issued, according to the official statement.
The punishment was imposed under ta’zir, which allows judicial discretion for offences that do not fall under fixed penalties or retaliation-based punishments in Islamic jurisprudence. The specific legal reasoning in this case, beyond the ministry’s reference to the seriousness of the offence and the sanctity of the location, has not been detailed publicly in the reports available.
Bangladesh Seeks Clarification From Saudi Arabia
The Bangladesh Consulate General in Jeddah said it had formally raised the matter with Saudi authorities because it received no advance notification. A mission official told The Daily Star that the consulate had submitted a diplomatic note requesting formal acknowledgement. The available reports did not indicate whether Saudi Arabia had responded to the request by the time of publication.
The lack of prior notification has become a key aspect of the case, alongside the limited public information about the alleged offence. Bangladeshi media reports have identified the two executed individuals by name, but the Saudi statement does not establish whether they were married to each other. Their relationship should therefore not be described as confirmed.
Saudi Arabia has continued to carry out death sentences for a range of offences. Amnesty International has documented extensive use of capital punishment in the kingdom, while human rights organisations have raised concerns about the application of the death penalty and the transparency of judicial proceedings. The present case has renewed attention on the treatment of foreign nationals facing capital punishment in Saudi Arabia.
