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Friday | October 23, 2026 | Dhaka
Saudi Executions

Did Bangladesh mission fail them?

 Staff Reporter
 Published: 12:05 AM, 22 October 2026

Human Rights Forum Bangladesh (HRFB) has called for an independent review of the role of Bangladesh’s diplomatic mission in Saudi Arabia following the execution of two Bangladeshi nationals, raising concerns over possible gaps in legal assistance, consular support and efforts to protect their rights.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, October 21, the rights organisation expressed deep concern over the executions in Saudi Arabia’s Mecca region and demanded accountability if negligence or a failure to fulfil official duties by Bangladeshi officials is established.

According to reports published by The New Nation on October 19 and 20, Nazrul Islam Abdul Basir and Sweety Akhtar were executed on October 14.

A letter reportedly sent by the labour wing of the Bangladesh Consulate in Jeddah to the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment on October 18 stated that the two had been detained since August 2023 in separate cases.

The letter noted that a list of detainees received by the consulate on September 30 did not contain information about their sentences, although sentencing details were provided for other detainees. It also stated that Saudi authorities had not formally or informally informed the Bangladesh Embassy or consulate about the executions.

HRFB questioned what steps the consulate had taken to investigate the missing sentencing information and determine whether the two citizens faced the risk of execution.

The organisation emphasised that Saudi authorities’ failure to notify Bangladesh did not relieve the country’s diplomatic mission of its responsibility to protect the rights of Bangladeshi nationals abroad.

It called for the disclosure of information received by the consulate and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the actions taken in response, and whether officials had identified the risk of execution in time to intervene.
Citing the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, HRFB called for an assessment of whether the two Bangladeshis had received fair trials, effective legal representation, confidential access to lawyers, interpretation services, opportunities to appeal or seek clemency, and appropriate consular assistance.

Media reports said the consulate had sent a note verbale to the Mecca branch of Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry seeking copies of the verdicts and detailed information about the cases.

HRFB urged the Bangladesh government to pursue the matter through formal diplomatic channels, obtain the relevant legal documents and publish the findings of an independent review of the consulate’s actions and coordination with the foreign ministry.

The organisation also called for stronger safeguards for Bangladeshis facing criminal proceedings or the risk of execution abroad, along with accountability for any established negligence or failure to perform official duties.

It further urged the government to ensure fair compensation for the families of the two executed citizens.