Bangladesh awaits Saudi response over execution of two nationals

DHAKA/ISLAMABAD: Bangladesh said on Wednesday it was still awaiting a response from Saudi Arabia after seeking clarification over the execution of two Bangladeshi nationals in Makkah, saying authorities in Dhaka were not informed before the sentences were carried out.

Foreign ministry spokesperson Shahidul Karim said Saudi Arabia had yet to respond to Bangladesh’s queries over the October 14 executions.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam said earlier this week that Dhaka had asked Riyadh to provide copies of the court verdicts, details of the offences involved and an explanation of why Bangladesh’s diplomatic mission was not notified in advance.

Saudi Arabia’s interior ministry said a Bangladeshi man and woman had been executed after being convicted of committing what it described as an “indecent act” inside a mosque in the holy city of Makkah. Saudi authorities did not publicly specify the nature of the act.

According to the ministry, the two were sentenced to death under tazir, a category of punishment under Islamic law in which the penalty is determined at the discretion of a judge. Saudi authorities said the punishment reflected the seriousness of the offence and the violation of the sanctity of the mosque.

Dhaka seeks details of proceedings

Bangladesh has said it wants further information on both the offences and the legal process followed in the case before deciding on its next steps.

Islam said the government would consider further action, including questions surrounding the repatriation of the bodies, once it had received the relevant documents and discussed the matter with Saudi authorities.

According to Bangladeshi media cited by the BBC, the two executed nationals had previously appeared on a list of prisoners shared by Saudi authorities with the Bangladesh Consulate General in Jeddah. However, the list reportedly did not indicate that either had been sentenced to death.

The Saudi embassy in Dhaka did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment.

Migrant welfare a key bilateral issue

The case has drawn attention in Bangladesh because of the scale of the country’s migrant workforce in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia is Bangladesh’s largest overseas labour market and is home to an estimated 3.5 million Bangladeshi workers, whose remittances form an important part of Bangladesh’s economy.

The two countries maintain close ties rooted in labour migration, economic links and religious connections, making the welfare and legal protection of Bangladeshi citizens in Saudi Arabia a sensitive bilateral issue.

The executions have also prompted broader concern because of Saudi Arabia’s use of capital punishment against foreign nationals.

Amnesty International has said Saudi Arabia has executed around 100 people this year, many of them foreigners convicted of drug-related offences.

In 2011, eight Bangladeshi men were publicly executed in Riyadh after being convicted of killing an Egyptian national.

Bangladesh has said it will determine its response in the latest case after Saudi authorities provide the requested legal documents and clarification over why Dhaka’s diplomatic mission was not notified before the executions were carried out.