By Shishir Prashant 
PrashantNews
Bangladesh has lodged a strong protest with Saudi Arabia after the Kingdom authorities executed two of its nationals for alleged “immoral acts” inside a mosque in the holy city of Mecca recently.
Nazrul Islam Abdul Basir and Siti Akhtar were executed on October 14, according to Saudi Arabia’s Interior Ministry. The authorities said the two had been arrested following an incident inside a mosque, charged after an investigation and sentenced to death by a competent court. Their sentences were upheld by the relevant judicial authorities before a royal order authorised the executions.
However, Saudi authorities have disclosed little about the precise nature of the alleged offence, when the two were arrested or the circumstances of their trials. The lack of details has fuelled speculation, criticism and demands for an explanation from Bangladesh.
The Bangladesh Consulate General in Jeddah said it had not been informed of the executions beforehand. Dhaka subsequently sought an explanation through diplomatic channels, including a formal communication to the Saudi authorities.
Saudi media reports described the offence in general terms as an immoral or indecent act inside a mosque. Some reports subsequently referred to alleged adultery, while speculation on social media suggested that the incident involved kissing. However, the precise conduct for which the two were convicted has not been established publicly.
Saudi authorities said the punishment was imposed under ta’zir, a category of Islamic law that allows judicial discretion in determining punishment for offences not subject to fixed penalties under the other principal categories of Islamic jurisprudence.
The Interior Ministry cited the gravity of the offence and the violation of the sanctity of the place and time. It said the judicial decisions had been upheld before the executions were carried out.
The circumstances have also raised questions about diplomatic communication between Saudi Arabia and Bangladesh, which has a large community of migrant workers in the kingdom.
The Bangladesh Consulate General in Jeddah said it had received no advance notification of the executions. It sought formal acknowledgement and details from the Saudi authorities after learning of the case through media reports.
Bangladesh’s Foreign Ministry has also sought information about the proceedings and the circumstances leading to the executions. Officials in Dhaka have expressed disappointment over the absence of prior communication.
Reports indicate that the Bangladeshi mission had received information about imprisoned citizens in September, but the list did not disclose the death sentences imposed on the two nationals. This has prompted further questions about whether timely notification could have enabled Bangladesh to seek legal assistance, make diplomatic representations or pursue other avenues before the sentences were carried out.
It remains unclear whether any such intervention would have changed the outcome. Nevertheless, the absence of advance notification has intensified scrutiny of the protection available to foreign nationals facing capital punishment abroad.