Dhaka sends Riyadh six questions after two Bangladeshis executed in Saudi Arabia

The execution of two Bangladeshi nationals in Saudi Arabia has caused a stir in international and diplomatic circles. The Bangladesh government in Dhaka is deeply angered by the secrecy the Saudi authorities maintained after the incident in Mecca province.

Nazrul Islam Abdul Bashir and Sweety Akhtar were put to death on October 14. No prior notice was given, and no one said what the offence was. Angered by the sudden action, the Bangladesh government has now sent Saudi Arabia a formal diplomatic letter asking six very serious questions.

Bangladesh's Consul General in Jeddah, Mohammad Sakhawat Hossain, met Fareed bin Saad Al-Shehri, Director General of the Mecca branch of the Saudi Foreign Ministry, on October 19 and handed him the letter. The Saudi authorities have not yet made clear on what charge or by what method the two were punished. For this reason, Bangladesh has sought an immediate official reply and a copy of the court's verdict.

The questions in the letter are as follows. First, what exactly was the crime of Nazrul Islam and Sweety Akhtar, and when and at what place in the Mecca region did the incident take place. Second, when was an official complaint filed against them, and when did the Saudi police actually take them into custody. Third, an official, certified copy of the final judgment of the Saudi court concerned should be given to the Bangladesh embassy.

The fourth question concerns the method of execution. Dhaka wants to know whether, in keeping with Saudi tradition, they were beheaded by sword in a public square, or punished in some other way. Fifth, where are their bodies now, and will they be sent to their families in Bangladesh or buried in Saudi Arabia. Sixth, whether the accused were given a lawyer or any legal help to present their side during the investigation and court hearings.

An official statement from Saudi Arabia's Interior Ministry said the two committed an "immoral act" in a mosque in Mecca. Under Saudi law, the judges used their discretion (Ta'zir) to pronounce the severe sentence. However, the list of prisoners that Bangladesh received in September recorded an IT (cyber) crime charge against Nazrul and a charge of adultery against Sweety. Nowhere did that list mention that they had been sentenced to death or that the court's final verdict had come.

Both worked as cleaners in Saudi Arabia. According to their families, they were framed because of a quarrel at the workplace. The families also claim that there was no marital relationship or immoral relationship between the two.

The Foreign Ministry is also being sharply criticised within Bangladesh over the incident. Humayun Kabir, State Minister for Foreign Affairs, has called it deeply disappointing. Human rights organisations allege that more than 2,400 Bangladeshis are held in various Saudi jails, yet the Bangladesh embassy has failed to secure legal protection for its citizens.

Dhaka's tough stance against the injustice done to its citizens abroad and the quietly carried-out execution could strain Saudi-Bangladesh relations. The world is now watching what official explanation Saudi Arabia gives on these six questions.