A confidential diplomatic memo has raised questions about the execution of two Bangladeshi nationals in Saudi Arabia, revealing that neither of their death sentences was mentioned in a prisoner list shared with Bangladesh’s consulate.
Nazrul Islam Abdul Basir and Sweety Akhtar were executed in Makkah on October 14, according to Saudi authorities. A memo dated October 18 from the Bangladesh Consulate General in Jeddah, obtained by The Daily Star, states that both had been detained since August 2023 over separate allegations.
According to the document, Nazrul was arrested on August 1, 2023, under Saudi Arabia’s cybercrime law, while Sweety was detained the following day over allegations of adultery. Both had worked as cleaners for Al Majal Company and were held at separate detention facilities in Jeddah.
However, a prisoner list received by the consulate on September 30 contained no information indicating that either individual had been sentenced to death. The document also did not clarify how the allegations recorded in the list were connected to the offences cited by Saudi authorities as the basis for their executions.
Saudi Arabia’s Interior Ministry said the two were convicted of an “immoral act” inside a mosque in Makkah. The consulate, however, stated that it was unaware of any previous case in which a Bangladeshi national had received the death penalty in Saudi Arabia for cybercrime or adultery.
The memo also highlighted concerns about access to legal assistance and communication surrounding the cases. Although interpreting services are available in Saudi courts, the document did not establish whether either defendant had an interpreter or legal representation during the proceedings.
It further stated that neither the Bangladeshi embassy nor the consulate had received official or unofficial notification from Saudi authorities about the death sentences or their implementation. The consulate had also received no request for legal assistance from either family’s side.
The consulate has since sent a formal diplomatic communication to the Makkah branch of Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, requesting copies of the court judgments and details of the legal proceedings. It said a further report would be prepared after the requested documents were received.
The revelations have added to questions surrounding the cases as Bangladesh seeks clarification from Saudi authorities over the executions and the circumstances leading to the deaths of its two citizens.
Reporting by Borderless for The Borderless Journal. Filed under Uncategorized · 20 Oct 2026, 21:02.
