OMM Newsroom
Saudi Arabia has executed two Bangladeshi nationals over an alleged “indecent act” at a mosque in Mecca. AnewZ reported that Bangladesh was not notified of the executions in advance, prompting questions from officials in Dhaka.
Reports that Nazrul Islam Abdul Basir and Siti Akhtar had been executed emerged on October 14. The reports said Saudi authorities had not sent Bangladesh prior notice.
Basir, 25, was from a village in the Sadar subdistrict of Brahmanbaria. He moved to Saudi Arabia about four years ago and worked in maintenance at the Grand Mosque in Mecca. Akhtar was from Nagar Chhkhawali village in the Mahera Union of Mirzapur, Tangail district.
Conflicting accounts of the reason for the executions
Saudi officials said the two were arrested and sentenced to death after being accused of committing an “indecent act” at a mosque in Mecca.
Officials have not disclosed what the alleged act involved, where it took place or when the pair were arrested. They said only that the death sentences were handed down under the Islamic legal principle of ta’zir, which gives judges discretion in choosing a punishment.
Unverified accounts have offered different claims about the incident. Some reports said the pair kissed at the mosque, while others claimed that only one kissed the other on the forehead. Neither version has been independently confirmed.
Dhaka seeks explanation and copies of court rulings
The executions have caused concern in Bangladesh, where calls have been made for Saudi Arabia to explain the circumstances of the case. Dhaka said it first learned of the executions through media reports and had received no prior notification from Riyadh.
Several officials at Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs have reportedly expressed concern about the apparent speed of the court proceedings, describing it as unusual.
Bangladesh’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaid Islam said: “Our mission was not informed about when or how the incident took place. As the Saudi government has yet to provide us with full information, I do not want to comment at this stage on why the mission was not notified.”
She added: “Once we receive the full information, I will be able to explain the matter more clearly.”
The failure to notify Bangladeshi representatives in advance has raised questions about Saudi Arabia’s obligations under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations. Experts said the case could raise concerns under the convention. However, it contains no explicit provision requiring countries to give advance notice of executions.
Article 37(a) of the convention states that, when relevant information is available, the consulate in the territory where a foreign national has died “shall be informed without delay”.
Bangladeshi officials are seeking copies of the court judgments, details of the alleged acts and an explanation of why the country’s diplomatic representatives were not informed. Dhaka is awaiting Saudi Arabia’s official response.
