Two Bangladeshi nationals were executed in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, on October 14, authorities in Dhaka confirmed, expressing concern over the lack of prior notification from Saudi officials. The executions came as a surprise to the Bangladeshi government, which had received no advance warning despite holding a list of prisoners that included the two individuals.

In September, the Bangladesh consulate general in Jeddah requested information regarding Bangladeshi detainees in Saudi Arabia. Riyadh provided a list that named the two men but did not indicate that they were facing the death penalty. According to a consular official, the list classified one detainee’s alleged offense as “adultery” and the other’s as an “ICT” violation—an abbreviation unspecified by Bangladeshi sources. The official noted that it was not possible to connect these entries to the executions based on the information provided.

Consular staff in Saudi Arabia routinely visit prisons and assist detainees, sometimes facilitating reductions in sentences, but the consulate had not received any formal requests for assistance from the two Bangladeshis before their executions. The official explained that receiving a prisoners' list does not automatically enable the consulate to intervene in every case.

Bangladesh’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Shama Obaed Islam, stated on Saturday that the Saudi government did not notify Dhaka prior to carrying out the executions. Following the incident, the Saudi ambassador to Bangladesh, Abdullah Zafer H bin Abiyah, was summoned on Sunday to provide details. The Bangladeshi Ministry of Foreign Affairs presented the ambassador with a formal note verbale, echoing earlier electronic communications.

According to the Labour Welfare Wing of the Bangladesh mission in Saudi Arabia, the two men were accused of committing adultery inside a mosque in Makkah. After their arrest, Saudi authorities reportedly conducted trial proceedings before sentencing and executing them. Bangladesh only became aware of the executions after they had been carried out.

The Bangladeshi government has yet to receive a full explanation regarding the circumstances of the executions. The case highlights ongoing challenges in consular communications and prisoner rights for foreign nationals detained in Saudi Arabia.