Death sentence for two Bangladeshis in Saudi Arabia a lesson for us: Shama Obaed

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam has described the death sentences of two Bangladeshis in Saudi Arabia as a major lesson for Bangladesh. She made the remarks while responding to questions from journalists at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday afternoon. She also advised Bangladeshis living abroad to abide by the laws of their host countries.

Asked whether Saudi Arabia had informed Bangladesh about the execution of the two Bangladeshis, the state minister said the government had yet to receive any information about the death sentences. However, Bangladesh had written to the Saudi authorities seeking details.

Shama Obaed said a message from the labour wing of Bangladesh’s mission in Saudi Arabia indicated that the two Bangladeshis had been involved in “adultery” inside a mosque in the holy city of Mecca, an act considered a grave offence under Saudi law. The court had taken action under that law, but the Bangladesh government had received no official information. Bangladesh had therefore sent a letter seeking details about the two individuals.

“Based on past experience, I can say that Saudi Arabia has its own legal framework. If someone commits a grave offence under that framework, the accused are punished in accordance with the law,” she said.
“The death sentences of two Bangladeshis in Saudi Arabia are a major lesson for us,” she added.

Shama Obaed said Bangladesh would be able to learn how the bodies could be brought home once Saudi Arabia replied to its letter.

The Saudi Press Agency (SPA), citing the country’s Interior Ministry, confirmed on Wednesday that the two Bangladeshis had been executed. They were identified as Nazrul Islam and Sweety Akhtar.

Gulf News, a Middle East-based news outlet, reported that Saudi security forces had arrested them on allegations of engaging in immoral and indecent acts inside a mosque in Mecca. According to the report, following an initial investigation, specific charges were brought against the two and their cases were sent to court.

The court sentenced them to death under ‘ta''zir,’ a category of discretionary punishment under Sharia law. The report said the judge imposed the sentences considering the desecration of the mosque’s sanctity and the circumstances in which the offences had occurred. The verdict was subsequently upheld by higher judicial authorities, making it final, and a royal order was issued for the executions to be carried out.

Private sources in Saudi Arabia said the trial of the two Bangladeshis had been ongoing at a court in Jeddah for several months. Two prominent Bangladeshi citizens had assisted as interpreters during the proceedings.

Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia are both parties to the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations. Under Article 36 of the convention, when a foreign national is arrested in another country, the detaining country must promptly notify the person’s consulate if the detainee requests it and allow access to consular assistance. It remains unclear whether the two detainees had requested that the Bangladeshi consulate be notified.

A source at the Bangladesh Consulate in Jeddah told Prothom Alo on Friday afternoon that Saudi authorities had not formally informed Bangladesh about the executions before carrying them out. The consulate became aware of the matter only after it was reported in the media. Later on Friday, the consulate in Jeddah sent a letter to the Saudi foreign ministry seeking details of the incident.

Several officials at Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the Saudi authorities would not normally arrest two Bangladeshis and carry out their death sentences so quickly. They also said it was puzzling that no one acting on behalf of the two detainees had contacted the Bangladeshi mission.