Saudi Arabia executed two Bangladeshi nationals on Wednesday after they were convicted of committing what authorities described as an “immoral act” inside a mosque in Makkah, The Daily Star reported, citing a statement by the Saudi Ministry of Interior.
The Bangladesh Consulate General in Jeddah said it had not been informed of the executions beforehand and had formally sought acknowledgement of the matter from Saudi authorities.
“The consulate was not notified by the ministry beforehand,” the mission told The Daily Star on Thursday in response to a query.
The consulate said it had submitted a note verbale to the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, requesting formal acknowledgement of the executions.
The two executed Bangladeshis were identified as Nazerul Islam Abdul Basir and Siti Akhtar, according to a statement issued by the Saudi Ministry of Interior on Wednesday and carried by the state-run Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
The ministry said Saudi security authorities had arrested the two, following which an investigation led to charges being filed against them. They were subsequently referred to a competent court.
According to the ministry, the court found the charges proven and sentenced them to death under “ta'zir”, a form of discretionary punishment under Islamic law. The sentence was imposed citing the gravity of the offence and the violation of the sanctity of the time and place.
The verdict became final after it was upheld by the relevant authority, following which a royal order was issued for its implementation, the ministry said.
The executions were carried out in the Makkah region.
However, the official statement did not specify the precise nature of the alleged act, identify the mosque where it took place or provide details about when the two Bangladeshis were arrested.
