Dhaka: The family of a Bangladeshi woman identified in reports as Sweety Akhter has disputed claims that she was executed in Saudi Arabia, saying she was alive when they last spoke to her and that the photograph published in connection with the reported execution does not resemble her.
Saudi media reports on October 14 identified a Bangladeshi woman sentenced to death as Siti Akhter, alongside 22-year-old Nazrul Islam. However, Bangladesh’s Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET) reportedly identified the woman as Sweety Akhter, from Maher Chawali village in Tangail district.
Sweety, born on August 11, 2001, travelled to Saudi Arabia in February 2023 through recruitment agency S Rana Trading International. She worked for Al Majal Al Arabi Group, including cleaning duties at the Grand Mosque in Makkah, according to reports.
Her family said they learnt about six months after her departure that she had been jailed. Her elder sister, Beauty, told Bangladeshi media that Sweety had once said several women were living in the same room and had been arrested after their employer accused them of illegally purchasing a vehicle.
However, The Daily Star, citing a list of detainees obtained from the Bangladesh consulate, reported that Sweety was detained on August 2, 2023, on an adultery charge and sent to a women’s prison in Jeddah.
Her father, Fazal Mia, said he spoke to his daughter on October 13 and that she had told him she expected to return home in about two months. He said the family received news of the reported execution the following day, but the photograph published did not match his daughter’s appearance.
Sweety’s mother, Zohra Begum, said the family was distressed because the names were similar. She added that some people in Saudi Arabia knew her daughter as Siti. The family suspects a case of mistaken identity but has not independently established what happened to her.
Bangladeshi officials have reportedly said that if the woman executed was indeed Sweety, the foreign ministry would provide information about the return of her body. Her identity and reported execution remain unclear based on the available information.
Case of Nazrul Islam
Nazrul Islam, the 22-year-old Bangladeshi man also named in reports of the executions, was from Birampur village in Brahmanbaria district. He travelled to Saudi Arabia in November 2022 to work for Al Majal, after his father, Abdul Basir, borrowed 700,000 Bangladeshi taka to finance the trip.
Nazrul had completed his secondary education at a madrasa in 2020 and later enrolled at a college in Brahmanbaria. He initially sent money home to support his family.
According to The Daily Star, Nazrul was arrested on August 1, 2023, on a cybercrime allegation and sent to a correctional facility in Jeddah. His family learnt of the arrest about a month later.
His mother, Rahima Begum, said her son had told her that he might be kept in prison temporarily before being released, but had not explained the reason for his arrest.
The circumstances of the reported executions and the conflicting information surrounding Sweety Akhter’s identity require clarification from Saudi and Bangladeshi authorities.
