Bangladesh seeks Saudi answers over two nationals’ executions

Bangladesh has asked Saudi Arabia for court records and an explanation after two Bangladeshi nationals were executed on October 14 without notification to its authorities, according to Dhaka. Foreign ministry spokesperson Shahidul Karim said on Tuesday that Saudi authorities had not yet answered Bangladesh’s queries, The Economic Times reported.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam said earlier in the week that the government had requested copies of the verdicts, details of the offences and clarification on why Bangladesh’s diplomatic mission had not been informed. She said Dhaka would determine its next steps after obtaining the documents and discussing the cases with Saudi authorities.

Saudi media, citing the kingdom’s interior ministry, reported that the men were executed following convictions for committing indecent acts inside a mosque in Makkah. That description is the Saudi ministry’s account of the convictions; the court records sought by Dhaka were not included in the report. The Saudi embassy in Dhaka did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The case touches a major bilateral relationship: Saudi Arabia is Bangladesh’s largest overseas employment destination, hosting an estimated 3.5 million Bangladeshi workers. Their remittances make migrant welfare an important issue in ties between the two countries.