Hawzah News Agency- According to reports, Bangladesh has demanded an explanation from Saudi authorities following the execution of the young Bangladeshi couple in the Mecca region. Saudi Arabia's Interior Ministry claims the two committed an "immoral act" inside a mosque and were sentenced to a discretionary punishment (ta'zir) after judicial proceedings—while Bangladeshi officials, rejecting the accusation, say they were not informed before the execution. Social media claims have since circulated about the couple, their trip to Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah, and a video said to have exposed the case.
According to a statement carried by the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA), the execution was carried out on October 14, 2026, in the Mecca region. Reports name the man as Nazirul Islam Abdul Basir and the woman as Switi Akter.
Saudi Interior Ministry's Position
Saudi Arabia's Interior Ministry said security forces arrested the two, conducted the necessary investigations, and referred their case to the competent court. According to the official statement, the court issued a death sentence as a ta'zir punishment after proving the accusation, and the ruling was carried out after ratification and a royal order. However, the statement did not detail the full circumstances of the case, the name of the mosque, the exact nature of the alleged act, or the evidence presented in court.
Bangladesh's Diplomatic Response
Bangladesh's Daily Star reported that the Bangladeshi consulate in Jeddah said Saudi authorities did not inform the Bangladeshi diplomatic mission before carrying out the execution. The mission sent an official diplomatic note—a Note Verbale—to Saudi Arabia's Foreign Ministry, requesting formal confirmation of the news and further details on the case.
On October 18, Bangladesh's State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Shoaib Obaid Islam, told reporters that the Foreign Ministry had sought information from the Saudi ambassador on the matter. According to an October 19 Daily Star report, Saudi authorities had previously provided the Bangladeshi mission with a list of prisoners, but information about the execution of these two citizens was not included.
International Media Coverage
The Associated Press highlighted the execution of the two Bangladeshi citizens and Dhaka's request for an explanation over not being informed of the ruling. The report also addressed the Saudi authorities' position and the Bangladeshi government's diplomatic response. Bangladesh's Daily Star focused on the diplomatic contacts, the prisoner list, and the absence of information about the execution.
Social Media Claims About Switi Akter and the Umrah Trip
Some social media posts state that Nazirul Islam Abdul Basir and Switi Akter were husband and wife who had traveled to Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah. In several of these posts, their trip is linked not merely to pilgrimage but also to the beginning of their married life. It has been claimed that a Pakistani national filmed a video of the two kissing inside the mosque, and that the video's publication led to judicial action against them.
However, the claims about the couple's marital relationship, their Umrah trip, the identity of the filmer, and the video's role in the case have not been independently confirmed based on available official statements and the international media reports cited. Final confirmation would require statements from relevant authorities, travel records, and judicial documents related to the case.
Questions About the Religious and Legal Basis of the Death Sentence
Saudi Arabia's Interior Ministry described the punishment as falling under ta'zir. In Islamic jurisprudence, ta'zir refers to a punishment determined within relevant religious and legal principles and within the authority of the competent judicial body. However, the mere fact that a punishment is discretionary does not in itself establish the permissibility of a death sentence for any given offense.
The fundamental question in this case is: what specific religious basis justified a death sentence for this young couple? Was the nature of the alleged offense and the evidence proving it clearly stated in the court ruling? And will the text of the ruling and the case evidence be published for public scrutiny?
Condemning a behavior as immoral or sinful is distinct from establishing the religious permissibility of the death penalty for it. Therefore, a definitive judgment on the religious ruling in this case requires examination of the original court ruling, the proven offense, and relevant jurisprudential principles.
Furthermore, the beheading of this young couple has strengthened speculation about widespread ISIS influence within Saudi Arabia's judicial and governing structures.
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