Bangladeshis executed in Makkah: Dhaka demands answers

Two Bangladeshis executed in Makkah on 14 October have pushed Dhaka into a rare diplomatic protest. The government says it learned of the executions only from media reports.

The Saudi Interior Ministry announced the sentences. It said the two were convicted of an act of indecency inside a mosque in Makkah. A court imposed the death penalty under ta’zir, a discretionary punishment in Islamic law. A royal order then approved the sentence. Reports name the pair as Nazrul Islam and Sweety Akhtar, though spellings differ.

Dhaka’s response

Bangladesh’s Jeddah consulate wrote to the Saudi foreign ministry on Thursday seeking details. On Sunday, the Daily Star reported that Dhaka asked the Saudi ambassador for an explanation. State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam said neither the foreign ministry nor the mission was told beforehand.

Officials, speaking anonymously, asked why no one contacted the mission during the detention. It is still unclear whether the two had asked for consular notification.

Why the questions matter

Millions of Bangladeshis work in the Gulf. Their remittances support families and the national economy. Consular access is a basic safeguard for every migrant worker facing a criminal case abroad.

Under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, states must let detained foreigners contact their consulate if they ask. Whether that happened here is the central open question. Dhaka should press for a full answer and publish what it learns.

Labour migration also faces a second shock. Biman Bangladesh Airlines has suspended Riyadh flights indefinitely after attacks on Saudi airports, the Daily Star reports. Workers returning home or heading out face fresh uncertainty. We covered the airport attack in our earlier report on Bangladeshis killed in Riyadh.

What to watch

Readers should watch for three things. First, any formal reply from Riyadh. Second, whether Dhaka releases the case timeline. Third, whether the government sets up a legal-aid fund for migrants. The Dhaka Tribune and Khaleej Times have both reported the case. See the Dhaka Tribune report for the official timeline.

Fact basis: Dhaka Tribune (16 Oct 2026); Khaleej Times (15 Oct 2026); The Daily Star (18 Oct 2026). Saudi authorities’ account is quoted as stated; ftd.london has not seen court records.