Bangladesh has expressed dissatisfaction over the execution of two of its citizens in Saudi Arabia following allegations of criminal offences, citing lapses in information-sharing and diplomatic communication over the execution of the Bangladeshi national Nazrul Islam.
“Bangladesh has a good and deep relationship with Saudi Arabia , particularly at the level of our Prime Minister. Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia are both signatories to the Geneva Conventions. There was a gap in information-sharing in this incident. “The creditors are now pressuring me to repay the debt. I want my son’s body brought back home.
Nazrul’s father, Abdul Basir, borrowed Tk 7 lakh to send his eldest son to Saudi Arabia in the hope of improving the family’s financial circumstances, according to The Daily Star. Nazrul left Bangladesh on November 10, 2022, and worked as a cleaner in the Kingdom. His family said they learned through media reports that he had been executed in Makkah on October 14, after spending approximately three years and three months in detention.
Because the sentences had already been carried out, he added that compensation was no longer possible.
We have sought an explanation from Saudi Arabia to find out why this gap occurred,” Kobir said. He described the executions as disappointing and said both sides were holding discussions to examine the shortcomings. If he was executed without just cause, I want justice,” Basir said. Saudi police had arrested Nazrul and a young woman, identified as Sweety Akhtar, over allegations of an “immoral act” near a mosque in Makkah, according to the family. Brahmanbaria Deputy Commissioner Md Abu Sayeed told The Daily Star that the administration had not received an application from the family or instructions regarding the matter. He said authorities would provide assistance under the applicable rules if the body were brought back to Bangladesh.
The specific charges, whether legal assistance was provided and whether Nazrul had an opportunity to defend himself before the execution could not be independently verified. State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir said on Monday that the Bangladeshi government had sought a detailed explanation from Saudi authorities regarding the executions and was examining where the communication process had fallen short, according to Prothom Alo.
