Bangladesh has sought an explanation from Riyadh, but its public response has remained relatively muted. Human rights organisations and citizens, however, have expressed outrage, particularly over reports that Bangladesh was kept uninformed until after the two nationals had been put to death.
The two Bangladeshis, identified in media reports as Nazrul Islam and Sweety, also spelt Siti or Suety, Akhtar, were executed on 14 October. They were sentenced to death under ta’zir, a form of punishment under Islamic law that leaves the penalty to the judge’s discretion.
Saudi Arabia’s Interior Ministry did not disclose the specific act the two were accused of committing, identify the mosque where the alleged incident took place or provide details of when they were arrested. The ministry stated only that they had violated the “sanctity” of the mosque.
According to The Daily Star, Nazrul Islam and Sweety Akhtar were included in a list of prisoners shared by Saudi Arabia with Bangladesh. However, the list did not mention their death sentences. Their families reportedly learnt about the executions through media reports rather than official communication.
Dhaka has so far appeared keen to limit the diplomatic fallout. On Monday, Bangladesh State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir described the executions as “very disappointing” and said the government had sought an explanation from Saudi Arabia, which Bangladesh considers a “friendly” partner. Kobir also expressed hope that bilateral relations would grow stronger.
During discussions with Saudi Ambassador Abdullah Zafer bin Abiyah, the importance of being “mindful” of the host country’s laws was also raised. State Minister Shama Obaed Islam reportedly said, “The execution of two Bangladeshis in Saudi Arabia serves as a major lesson for us.”
She added that Bangladesh was still awaiting a copy of the verdict to establish the details of the case.
The government’s restrained response contrasts with the anger expressed by sections of Bangladeshi society over both the executions and the manner in which the cases were handled.
“Anger is growing in Bangladesh over Saudi Arabia’s execution of two Bangladeshi nationals without prior information being provided to Bangladesh,” posted @Jefta_222 on X.
Bangladeshi Supreme Court advocate and human rights defender Barrister Khan Khalid Adnan has also called for the disclosure of details surrounding the cases, citing the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.
🇧🇩 🇸🇦 Anger is growing in Bangladesh over Saudi Arabia’s execution of two Bangladeshi nationals without prior information being provided to Bangladesh. The Saudi Ambassador was reportedly unable to provide an explanation.
— Home (@Jefta_222) October 19, 2026
“Article 36 of the convention requires authorities to inform detained foreigners of their consular rights without delay. If a detainee requests it, the relevant consulate must also be notified without delay,” he said.
JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF), a Paris-based human rights organisation, has also condemned the executions.
“JMBF firmly rejects capital punishment for alleged violations of religious, moral, or social norms. JMBF is particularly alarmed by information indicating that the two Bangladeshi nationals were denied legal representation and consular assistance during the proceedings leading to their executions,” the organisation said.
@Haqiqatjou It's a huge news and all the buzz in Bangladesh last week. The outrageous thing is that the Bangladeshi consulate was not even notified about these two citizens and executed by the Saudi kingdom. Insane diplomatic failure for Bangladesh.
— AS Maruf 🇨🇦🇧🇩 (@as_maruf62783) October 19, 2026
JMBF added that the executions were “fundamentally incompatible with human dignity and internationally recognised principles of justice.”
A confidential Bangladeshi consular memo has added another layer of uncertainty to the circumstances surrounding the executions. Dhaka Tribune reported on Tuesday that the two Bangladeshis had been arrested approximately three years ago, with the records revealing allegations that differ from the explanation subsequently provided by Saudi Arabia.
সৌদি বাংলাদেশি দুতাবাস দাত কেলিয়ে ঘুমান কিন্তু তার পরিবার এট অশ্রু থামবে? শ্রীলংক যদি ফাঁসি মাফ পাই বাংলাদেশ কেন পেল না? সৌদি আরব থেকে দেশে আনা হলো নজরুল আর সিতির দে/হ https://t.co/VdGTdRrehd
— Taher mia (@mia_taher60782) October 18, 2026
According to the memo, Nazrul Islam was detained on 1 August 2023 under Saudi Arabia’s cybercrime law, while Sweety Akhtar was arrested the following day on allegations of adultery. The memo does not explain the discrepancy between these allegations and the Saudi authorities’ statement that the two were executed for an “indecent act” inside a mosque.
The families of both executed Bangladeshis are now demanding answers about the charges, legal proceedings and circumstances that led to their deaths.
সৌদি আরবে ফাঁসি দেওয়া হলো দুই বাংলাদেশিকে 😢 নজরুল ইসলাম ও সিতি আক্তার | আমরা বিচার চাই! #Bangladesh #NazrulIslam #SitiAkhtar #HumanRights https://t.co/Faj1Evrd62
— X_Santanu (@SantanuuHalder) October 20, 2026
Fazal Mia, Sweety Akhtar’s father, said he had not been informed of the death sentence and was still awaiting official confirmation that his daughter had been executed.
“We do not know what has happened to my daughter. We do not even know whether she is alive or dead. We have only heard rumours,” he said.
Nazrul Islam, 22, had left Bangladesh in 2022 and worked as a cleaner in Saudi Arabia, his family told The Daily Star in a report titled “Our son was killed without a fair trial”.
Although his family knew he was in prison, they received no advance notice of his execution and learnt of his death through media reports. They have been unable to verify crucial details, including the charges against him, whether he received legal assistance and whether he was given an opportunity to defend himself in court.
“If my son was executed without just cause, I want justice,” Islam’s father, Abdul Basir, told The Daily Star.
Abdul Basir also told Jago News 24, as cited in a report by ThePrint, that his family did not know Akhtar.
The executions have raised questions about the transparency of the proceedings, the availability of legal representation and consular assistance, and the communication between Saudi authorities and Bangladesh. Dhaka’s request for an explanation and its wait for the verdict remain central to efforts to establish what happened to Nazrul Islam and Sweety Akhtar, while their families continue to seek official answers about the cases.
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