President’s Pleaded For Saudi Workers’ Clemency, Failed

President Zillur Rahman pleaded for the clemency of eight death penalty recipients in Saudi Arabia. The plea went failed as the workers now are executed in the Saudi capital of Riyadh on Friday.



Eight Bangladeshi migrant workers in Saudi Arabia were tried and found guilty in a theft case where a security guard, an Egyptian national, were killed four years ago.



"President Zillur Rahman also sent a letter to the Saudi king, pleading for mercy to the convicts, but the Saudi authorities did not agree to the clemency plea", has been said from the Bangladesh mission in Riyadh.





Botched Attempts



The hectic attempts made by the Bangladesh government through its mission in Riyadh began in June 2008 after they were awarded death penalty by a trial court.



The embassy sent a "note verbal" to the foreign ministry of the Saudi Arabia for consular access for several times.



The Saudi authorities granted consular access in October. The labour consular, Haroon-or-Rashid, went to Al Haer jail to meet convicted Suman for the first time.



The embassy officials since then met with the wretched different times at jail and enquired about them.



"We had extended legal support to the accused for appealing to the higher court of Saudi Arabia," Haroon said in a written statement sent to daily sun via email on Saturday.



As per the Saudi law, the family of the victim can pardon, not the state.





Family Refuses 'Blood Money'



Bangladesh embassy officials said, the mission wanted to pay blood money to the family and get exemption from the death penalty, but the family did not agree to pardon the alleged killers.





Not Bangladeshis Only



Implementing death penalties resumed after the Ramadan in last week and a number of criminals and death penalty recipients were executed in public. The executed includes two Saudis in Tabuk on Friday, a statement of the Interior Ministry said.



Farhan bin Awad Al-Atwi, was convicted for stabbing to death two Saudi brothers Hamoud bin Eid Al-Atwi and Saud bin Eid Al-Atwi, following a dispute.



Ahmad bin Awdah Al-Atwi, the second man to be executed, was convicted of shooting to death Muhammad Tahir Khan, an Afghan national, during a dispute, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Friday.