Consulate did not inquire about son, no one else should face such fate: Nazrul Islam’s father

Nazrul Islam’s father Abdul Bashir has alleged that no one from the Bangladesh Consulate contacted his son while he was in jail in Saudi Arabia. The family was not informed before the execution of the death sentence either. They came to know of the matter after reports were published in the media. Abdul Bashir has now demanded the repatriation of his son’s body to the country as well as keeping track of other Bangladeshis detained in Saudi Arabia.

The death sentence of Nazrul, a resident of Birampur village in Sultanpur union under Brahmanbaria Sadar upazila, was executed on October 14. The family alleged that they or the Bangladesh Consulate were not informed in advance about his detention, the trial process or the execution of the death sentence.

Abdul Bashir and members of his family have been overwhelmed with grief at the news of their son’s death. Relatives and neighbours have been gathering at their home to console them. Meanwhile Nazrul’s aunt Abeda Begum, 65, has died of a heart attack unable to bear the news of his death.

Abdul Bashir said, “While he was in jail I asked my son whether anyone from the Bangladesh Consulate had contacted him. He said no one had. The consulate of every country inquires about its citizens in jail. But the consulate of our country did not inquire about him at all.”

He further said, “Whether my son got a lawyer to defend himself against the charges on which he was detained and whether he got the opportunity to contact the consulate are also big questions. No one else should face such a fate like my son.”

Family members said Nazrul, the eldest of four siblings, went to Saudi Arabia in November 2022 after passing SSC to take responsibility for the family. There he started working as a cleaner at the holy Masjid al-Haram in Makkah. But after seven to eight months the family members could not contact him.

Later Nazrul called from jail and informed that he was a prisoner. But he did not tell the family on what charges he had been detained. According to family members, after remaining in jail for about three years and three months his death sentence was executed on October 14.

Nazrul’s father Abdul Bashir said, “I had taken a loan of Tk 7 lakh in 2022 to send my son to Saudi Arabia. He got a job in Makkah just one month after going. But after seven to eight months we were not getting any news of him. About one and a half months after the detention he called from jail and informed that he was a prisoner. He did not say why he had been detained and we also do not know.”

He said, “The last talk with my son was on Sunday. He had informed that he was in trouble. Then on Wednesday we heard that his death sentence had been executed. My sister has also died on hearing the news of my son’s death. My son is gone, my sister is also gone—I have lost everything and am now destitute. The burden of the loan has also remained. I demand from the government that arrangements be made to bring my son’s body back to the country quickly.”

Nazrul’s family wants to know whether he had received the assistance of a lawyer before the execution of the death sentence and whether the Bangladesh Consulate had taken any step regarding him. At the same time the family has called upon the government to keep regular track of other Bangladeshis detained in Saudi Arabia.

In this regard Brahmanbaria Deputy Commissioner Md. Abu Sayeed said that no instruction has yet been received from the government regarding bringing Nazrul’s body back to the country. Assistance will be provided to the victim family if the body returns to the country.

Saudi authorities have informed that the death sentences of two Bangladeshis convicted on charges of committing an ‘immoral act’ in a mosque in Makkah were executed on October 14. According to a report of Saudi-based media outlet Ajel, the two Bangladeshis are Nazrul Islam Abdul Bashir and Sithi Akhtar.

However the Saudi authorities did not formally inform Bangladesh anything before the execution of the death sentences. The matter came to the notice of Bangladesh after reports were published in the media. Afterwards the Bangladesh Consulate in Jeddah sent a letter to the Saudi Foreign Ministry seeking detailed information about the identity of the two Bangladeshis, the charges brought against them and the trial process.

The information published by the Saudi authorities did not have detailed information other than their names to identify them. Information on passport, iqama and citizenship was also not available. It is still not clear whether lawyers were appointed for the two Bangladeshis, whether they got the opportunity to appeal or whether they had sought consular assistance.

According to Article 36 of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, if any citizen is arrested abroad the detaining country has to inform the consulate of the concerned country immediately at his request and provide the opportunity for consular assistance. However Bangladesh is awaiting the reply of the Saudi authorities to know what steps were taken in this regard in the case of Nazrul or other Bangladeshi citizens.