Diplomatic tensions have emerged between Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia after Riyadh carried out the execution of two Bangladeshi nationals in the holy city of Mecca without prior notification to Dhaka, prompting Bangladesh to launch a formal request for clarity into the incident.
Last week, Saudi authorities put to death one male and one female Bangladeshi citizen following their conviction for so-called “indecent acts” committed within a Mecca mosque. To date, Riyadh has released no additional information about the specific nature of the alleged offenses, nor has it confirmed whether the pair received access to legal representation during their trial in the Gulf kingdom, according to initial local media reports on the case.
Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister Humaiun Kobir publicly addressed the controversy on Monday, speaking to reporters at the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Kobir made clear that the Bangladeshi government holds deep disappointment over the complete breakdown in communication surrounding the executions, and has formally requested a full explanation from Saudi authorities for both the lack of prior warning and the circumstances that led to the death sentences being carried out.
“We have sought an explanation from our friendly bilateral partner to look into the matter and know why the gap in information sharing and exchanges happened here. We are in ongoing discussions,” Kobir told reporters.
Prior to the minister’s statement, the Bangladeshi foreign ministry noted that the two executed citizens were included on a general list of incarcerated individuals shared by Saudi Arabia with Dhaka. However, the document made no mention of impending execution plans for the pair, leaving Bangladeshi authorities with no advance warning of the action.
The incident comes amid growing international scrutiny of Saudi Arabia’s judicial system, just days after Riyadh announced a high-profile reversal of a death sentence for a Sri Lankan national. That prisoner, 27-year-old Anojan Sivarasa, had been sentenced to death after being convicted of insulting Islam and the Prophet Muhammad. Sri Lanka’s Deputy Foreign Minister Arun Hemachandra confirmed last week that Saudi Arabia’s Supreme Court had overturned the death penalty, modifying the sentence to five years imprisonment and a fine of three million Saudi Riyals, equal to approximately $800,000. Sivarasa remains in custody in Saudi Arabia to serve his reduced sentence.
The revised sentence came amid widespread international backlash over Riyadh’s judicial practices, particularly its handling of offenses related to expression and public morality. Saudi Arabia’s legal system combines strict interpretations of Islamic law with sweeping counterterrorism and cybercrime legislation, which authorities have used to restrict online speech under the pretense of upholding public order and moral standards.
Rights observers have documented a sharp rise in long prison sentences for social media users in recent years, alongside a steady increase in the application of capital punishment. Data from monitoring organizations shows that at least 175 people have been executed in Saudi Arabia in the current year alone, with foreign nationals making up the majority of those put to death.