Executions of Bangladeshis in Saudi Arabia Raise Concerns Over Due Process

The execution of two Bangladeshi nationals in Saudi Arabia on October 14 has sparked concern in Bangladesh, particularly after the Bangladesh Consulate General in Jeddah said it had not been informed of the executions beforehand.

Saudi authorities have identified the two Bangladeshis as Nazrul Islam Abdul Bashir and Siti Akhtar, also known as Sweety Akhtar.

Their executions have renewed questions about judicial proceedings and the treatment of Bangladeshi migrant workers accused of criminal offences in Saudi Arabia.

Available data indicate that at least 19 Bangladeshis have been executed in Saudi Arabia since 2010. Of these, 16 executions took place between 2010 and 2021, one in 2024 and two in October 2026.

The figures are based on a joint human rights report by Reprieve and the European Saudi Organisation for Human Rights (ESOHR), along with subsequent monitoring. However, they do not provide a complete account of executions of Bangladeshi nationals over the entire period, as no comprehensive year-by-year tally has been published.

A joint report by Reprieve and ESOHR, published in January 2023, examined executions in Saudi Arabia between 2010 and 2021. It found that 1,243 people were executed during the 12-year period, including 16 Bangladeshi nationals.

The report highlighted the heightened risks faced by foreign nationals, including migrant workers, in capital cases. Many may struggle to secure legal representation or understand court proceedings conducted in Arabic. They may also encounter difficulties obtaining the necessary consular assistance.

Of the 1,243 people executed during the period, 490 were foreign nationals, accounting for nearly 39 per cent of the total. Those executed included citizens of Pakistan, Yemen, Syria, Egypt and Bangladesh.

One of the most widely reported cases involving Bangladeshis occurred in October 2011, when Saudi Arabia executed eight Bangladeshi nationals convicted of involvement in the killing of an Egyptian security guard during a robbery.

The executions took place in Riyadh. Amnesty International criticised the case and raised concerns about the fairness of the judicial proceedings.

The eight Bangladeshis were Mamun Abdul Mannan, Faruk Jamal, Sumon Mia, Mohammad Sumon, Shafik Al-Islam, Masud Shamsul Haque, Abu Al-Husain Ahmed and Mutir Al-Rahman.

According to ESOHR's annual report published on January 5, 2025, Saudi Arabia executed 345 people in 2024, including 138 foreign nationals. One of those executed was a Bangladeshi citizen.

The report said Saudi Arabia had executed 172 people in 2023, meaning the total more than doubled in 2024.

The increase in executions for various offences, including drug-related crimes, drew renewed criticism from human rights organisations, which expressed concern over the extensive use of capital punishment.

The Saudi Ministry of Interior, in a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency, said the two Bangladeshis were executed in the Makkah region on October 14.

According to Saudi authorities, the two were convicted of engaging in what the authorities described as an “immoral” act inside a mosque and were sentenced to death.

Their executions were carried out under the Islamic legal principle of ta'zir, which allows judges discretion in determining punishments for certain offences.

The latest executions come amid a broader rise in the use of capital punishment in Saudi Arabia.

ESOHR reported 345 executions in 2024, while Human Rights Watch said Saudi Arabia executed a record 356 people in 2025. These figures cover nationals of all countries, not just Bangladeshis.

Saudi Arabia is home to approximately 3.5 million Bangladeshi migrant workers, making the country's use of capital punishment a significant concern for Bangladesh.

The latest executions have brought renewed attention to the need for transparency in judicial proceedings, access to legal representation and effective consular assistance for Bangladeshi nationals facing serious criminal charges abroad.

The Jeddah consulate's reported lack of prior notification has also raised questions about communication between Saudi authorities and Bangladeshi diplomatic officials in cases involving the death penalty.

With millions of Bangladeshis working in Saudi Arabia, developments involving capital punishment and the rights of foreign nationals remain an important issue for both countries.