Around 7,500 Bangladeshi nationals are currently imprisoned across various cities in Saudi Arabia, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam revealed on Friday.
Speaking to reporters after receiving the body of Shahed Ahmed a Bangladeshi worker killed in a Houthi attack at King Khaled International Airport on October 10 the minister addressed growing concerns regarding expatriates in the Gulf kingdom.
"According to government records, about 7,500 expatriate Bangladeshis are serving sentences in Saudi prisons. The Saudi authorities periodically share lists of convicted individuals with us" she said.
Shama noted that Bangladesh has officially requested copies of the court verdicts concerning two nationals, Nazrul Islam and Sweety Akter were executed in Makkah on October 14. She stated that Dhaka was not informed prior to the executions.
"While every country has the right to enforce its legal framework and foreign governments must be notified when their citizens face such extreme penalties," she emphasized. The ministry has summoned the Saudi ambassador in Dhaka and sent a formal letter via the consulate in Jeddah.
Addressing broader expatriate welfare, the State Minister Shama Obaed acknowledged the heavy financial burdens workers face from recruitment middlemen and urged patience while diplomatic inquiries proceed. She added that the government is actively seeking visa extensions for Bangladeshis stranded due to ongoing conflicts in West Asia.
