2 Bangladeshis Death Sentence: Foreign Ministry summons Saudi Ambassador for talks
Graphics: Agamir Somoy
The Foreign Ministry has summoned Saudi Arabia's Ambassador to Dhaka, Dr. Abdullah Jafar bin Abiyah, to discuss the death sentences of two Bangladeshis in Saudi Arabia.
He was summoned to the state guest house Padma on Sunday (October 18).
According to Foreign Ministry sources, Saudi Arabia's Ambassador to Dhaka, Dr. Abdullah Jafar bin Abiyah, was summoned over the death sentences of two Bangladeshis in Saudi Arabia. As he showed up, the Foreign Ministry's Secretary (East-West) discussed the matter with him.
Earlier on Saturday, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed had said, "We have sent a memo from the Foreign Ministry to the Saudi government regarding the death sentences of the two Bangladeshis. Let us wait a little. After we receive the country's response, we will be able to speak clearly."
"We have asked Saudi Arabia for everything that needs to be known about the death sentences," the junior minister had said.
Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Interior said the two Bangladeshis who were executed were Nazerul Islam Abdul Bashir and Siti Akter.
The two were executed last Wednesday. It is learned that they were given this punishment for "immoral acts" in a mosque.
The country's state news agency, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), said in a statement that Saudi security forces arrested the two Bangladeshis. Later, based on investigation, charges were brought against them and they were sent to the relevant court. Since the charges were proven in court, the two Bangladeshis were sentenced to death. Their death sentences were carried out in the Mecca region.
The country said the punishment was given under the "Tazir" provision of Islamic law, considering the gravity of the crime and the violation of the sanctity of the place.
Tazir is a punishment under Islamic law left to the judge's discretion. The statement noted that after the verdict, a royal order was issued to carry out the sentence.
However, the Saudi authorities did not provide details on exactly what kind of crime they were sentenced to death for, in which mosque in Mecca the incident took place, or under what circumstances they were arrested.
