Saudi Arabia executes two Bangladeshis: Father seeks son’s body for one last goodbye

New Delhi: Bangladesh is seeking answers from Saudi Arabia over the execution of two Bangladeshi nationals in Mecca on October 14, after discovering that a prisoner list shared by Riyadh did not mention their death sentences. Dhaka is awaiting the court verdict and a formal explanation from Saudi Arabia over why it was not informed before the executions.

The two nationals, identified as Nazrul Islam Abdul Basir and Sweety Akhter, were executed after being convicted of committing an “indecent act” inside a mosque in the holy city of Mecca. Saudi authorities said the relevant courts had upheld their sentences before a royal order authorized the executions.

Families question allegations against executed Bangladeshis

Nazrul’s family has disputed the allegations against him and questioned the circumstances of his conviction. His father, Abdul Bashir, said he wanted his son’s body returned to Bangladesh so that he could see him one last time, Prothom Alo reported.

According to reports, the family said Nazrul remained in prison until his execution. They last spoke to him by phone on October 11, three days before receiving news of his death.

Nazrul’s mother, Rahima Begum, also expressed disbelief over the allegations and said she wanted to see her son’s body one last time. His relatives and friends described him as polite and well-behaved, while his cousins alleged that a dispute with a Pakistani co-worker may have played a role in the case. These allegations have not been independently established.

The family also suffered another loss. Nazrul’s aunt, Abeda Begum, 65, reportedly fainted on hearing of his execution and died later that night.

Some social media posts linked Nazrul and Sweety as a couple, and speculative posts claimed that the alleged offence involved kissing on the forehead inside the mosque. However, Saudi authorities have not publicly disclosed the nature of the acts for which the two were convicted, and the claims circulating online remain unverified.

Nazrul’s father also told Jago News that the family did not know Sweety and that he had heard the two worked at the same place. An unidentified relative said Nazrul had once spoken about having an affair with a woman, The Week reported.

BBC Bangla reported that the family of the woman who was executed knew she was in prison but did not know the exact allegations against her. Her elder sister said the family learnt about the death sentence through social media. She also recalled that the woman had once mentioned several women staying in one room and their employer having them arrested, but gave no further details. The family said it had stopped receiving money from her after she was imprisoned.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh’s expatriates’ welfare ministry identified the two executed citizens to the media. BBC Bangla’s report did not name either of them.

Dhaka seeks explanation over lack of prior notice

Bangladesh’s concerns extend beyond the allegations to the lack of information shared before the executions. According to Bangladeshi authorities, a list of imprisoned Bangladeshi nationals received by the country’s consulate general in Jeddah in September included the names of Nazrul and Sweety. Their alleged offences were listed, but their death sentences were not mentioned, as RNA Media reported earlier.

The Bangladeshi state minister, Humaiun Kobir, described the executions as “very disappointing” and questioned the gap in information-sharing between the two countries, Prothom Alo reported. He said Bangladesh expected to be informed when its nationals faced criminal proceedings abroad so that the government could provide consular assistance. Bangladesh is also seeking information about the two nationals’ employment and stay in Saudi Arabia and is considering the return of their remains. The repatriation process has reportedly been delayed by the suspension of air connectivity between the two countries.