Bangladesh on Sunday sought detailed information from Saudi Arabia about the recent execution of two Bangladeshi nationals, raising the issue with Saudi Ambassador to Bangladesh Dr Abdullah Zafer bin Abiyah.

Secretary (East & West) Dr Md Nazrul Islam sought details about the executions during a meeting with the Saudi envoy, said a senior official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Asked whether the ambassador had been summoned, another official said, “No, it was not.”

Despite raising the issue, Bangladesh expressed confidence that the incident would not affect the strong bilateral relations between the two countries. The meeting also discussed the importance of respecting the laws of the host country.

Both sides expressed satisfaction with the steady progress of cooperation between Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia across various sectors.

On Saturday, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam said the government had yet to receive detailed official information from Saudi authorities about the execution of a Bangladeshi man and a woman, describing the news as unexpected.

“We have yet to receive any official detailed information from the Saudi government,” she told reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, adding that Dhaka had sent a letter requesting details.

Saudi media earlier reported that the kingdom had executed the two Bangladeshis after they were convicted of committing “indecent acts” inside a mosque in Mecca.

Quoting the Saudi Interior Ministry, Gulf News reported that the court imposed the sentences because of the seriousness of the offence, the violation of the mosque’s sanctity and the circumstances in which the acts were committed.

Saudi authorities identified the two Bangladeshis as Nazrul Islam Abdul Basir and Siti Akhtar.

“On October 14, we learned that two Bangladeshi nationals had been sentenced to death under Saudi Arabian law and that the executions had been carried out,” Shama said, noting that neither the Ministry of Foreign Affairs nor the Bangladesh Mission in Saudi Arabia had been informed in advance.

“We wanted to know whatever we needed to know. Let the reply come. I will be able to let you know,” she said.

After learning of the executions, the Bangladesh Mission informed the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment, sharing the information it had gathered from Saudi authorities.

Shama said the government had formally sought details about the two individuals’ identities, backgrounds in Bangladesh and when they had originally arrived in Saudi Arabia for work.

Drawing on past experience, she said Saudi Arabia had its own legal framework and punished those found guilty of grave offences in accordance with its laws.

“The execution of two Bangladeshis in Saudi Arabia serves as a major lesson for us,” she said.

Shama added that the repatriation of the bodies could be arranged after Bangladesh receives a response to its letter.