Around 7,500 Bangladeshis are currently being held in prisons across Saudi Arabia after being convicted of various offences, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed has said.She said Saudi authorities periodically provide Bangladesh with lists of imprisoned nationals and inform the government about their convictions and sentences.
However, the Bangladesh government has yet to receive detailed information regarding the recent execution of two Bangladeshi nationals in Saudi Arabia. Dhaka has formally requested copies of the court verdicts from the Saudi authorities.
The state minister made the remarks while responding to journalists' questions on Friday (October 23), following the arrival in Dhaka of the body of Bangladeshi worker Shahed Ahmed, who was killed in a Houthi attack in Saudi Arabia.
"According to our information, approximately 7,500 Bangladeshis are still imprisoned in different cities across Saudi Arabia. The Saudi authorities send us lists from time to time, informing us about those convicted and the sentences handed down to them. We are now examining whether the names of the two executed Bangladeshis were included in those lists," she said.
Regarding the execution of the two Bangladeshis, Shama Obaed said the Saudi authorities had not provided any further details about their beheading.
"As you know, the Saudi ambassador was summoned and the matter was discussed with him. We have also formally written to the Saudi government requesting copies of the court verdicts. Once we receive those documents, we will be able to understand the circumstances surrounding the incident," she said.
The state minister noted that every country has its own legal framework and judicial system under which decisions are made and implemented.
"However, when a foreign national is executed or loses their life under such circumstances, we certainly need to know the details. That is why we have sent the letter. We need to be a little patient," she added.
Expressing concern over the hardships faced by Bangladeshi migrant workers, Shama Obaed said she understood the suffering of expatriates and their families.
"I also come from a village, and like many of you, people from my village work abroad. I understand their pain. I have always said that our workers spend a substantial amount of money to go overseas. Compared to many other countries, the cost of migration from Bangladesh is much higher, largely because of middlemen and recruitment brokers," she said.
"After spending so much money to go abroad, returning home in a coffin or becoming a victim of such an incident is heartbreaking, not only for their families but also for us. We do not want such tragedies to happen," she added.
The state minister said the government was treating the matter with utmost importance and had already received instructions from the prime minister.
"The prime minister has given us instructions in this regard, and we are working accordingly. However, there are formal procedures that must be followed, and we need to remain patient until those processes are completed," she said.
"We also want to know the full details so that similar incidents can be prevented in the future. That is why we are continuing our efforts," she added.
Shahed Ahmed was killed on October 10 in an attack by Yemen's armed Houthi group at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He hailed from Madla village under Shajahanpur upazila in Bogura.
Shahed worked as a plumber on the Jeddah project of a Saudi contracting company and held a valid residence and work permit (Iqama).
He was returning to his workplace in Jeddah via Riyadh after spending a month-long vacation in Bangladesh. He was at Riyadh airport when the attack took place. Another Bangladeshi national was also killed in the attack.
FP/MIB
