Saudi Arabia’s recent execution of two Bangladeshi nationals without prior detailed notification to Dhaka has highlighted significant gaps in diplomatic communication between the two countries. Nazrul Islam Abdul Basir and Sweety Akhtar were executed on October 14 in the Makkah region, with their names appearing on a list of Bangladeshi prisoners shared by Saudi authorities with the Bangladesh Consulate in Jeddah. However, the list lacked specific information regarding their verdicts and sentences, prompting concerns about the adequacy of consular access and support for migrant workers facing legal proceedings.
An official at the Bangladesh Consulate, speaking anonymously, indicated that Saudi authorities had provided a list in September containing approximately 2,500 Bangladeshi detainees and prisoners, including 20 others marked as convicted but without detailed sentencing information. In response, the consulate sent a letter on October 20 to the Makkah regional branch of the Saudi Foreign Ministry seeking comprehensive details on the legal status of all 22 nationals, including the two executed. The consulate emphasized the necessity of receiving judgment summaries to effectively provide consular services.
According to Saudi records, among these 22 individuals, eight were convicted of murder, five of drug trafficking, five under private rights cases, two for violating state laws, one for cybercrime, and one for adultery. The prisoners were held across various facilities, including Jeddah’s Jabban and Shumaisi prisons, Jeddah General Prison, and women’s prisons in Najran, Khamis, Al-Baha, and Hadda.
Experts on international relations have pointed to the obligations under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, which stipulate that states must notify foreign governments when their nationals are detained, tried, or executed. Shahab Enam Khan, a professor at Jahangirnagar University, noted that the absence of such communication disrupts the ability of home countries to provide legal and humanitarian assistance. He also stressed the importance of specialized diplomatic roles, such as lawyer consuls with knowledge of local and labour laws, to better protect migrant workers abroad.
The Bangladesh government has faced scrutiny from human rights groups and domestic observers regarding the consulate’s handling of these cases. On the same day as the October 20 letter, the consulate urged Saudi authorities to consider the release, pardon, or deportation of Bangladeshi prisoners based on factors such as sentence completion, good conduct, the nature of offenses, and case status. They also called for expedited adjudication of pending cases to reduce prolonged detentions.
Separately, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam disclosed that about 7,500 Bangladeshi nationals remain imprisoned across Saudi Arabia on various charges. She confirmed that while Saudi authorities periodically provide lists of convicted Bangladeshis, detailed information on verdicts and sentences is often lacking. The minister expressed the government’s commitment to obtaining judicial details and insisted on the importance of being informed about the treatment of nationals under foreign judicial systems. While acknowledging Saudi Arabia’s sovereign right to enforce its laws, Shama questioned whether past administrations had adequately addressed the welfare of Bangladeshis abroad, noting the incident involving the executed nationals dated back to 2023.
The ongoing diplomatic correspondence between Dhaka and Riyadh underscores the complexities involved in protecting the rights and welfare of a large expatriate community—estimated at around three million Bangladeshis—in a country where legal processes and consular communications remain challenging to navigate.