Is It True That a Bangladeshi Couple Was Executed for Kissing in Mecca?

Reports have been circulating on social media claiming that a young Bangladeshi couple who travelled to Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah were executed for kissing within the precincts of the Haram in Mecca. Some posts allege that the couple had recently married, were sentenced to death, and that the Bangladeshi government was not notified of the executions in advance. However, available information from open sources indicates that several elements of these claims remain unverified.

In October 2026, the Bangladeshi newspaper The Daily Star reported that two Bangladeshi nationals had been executed in Saudi Arabia. Citing a statement by the Saudi Ministry of Interior, the report said the charges against them were related to an “immoral act” inside a mosque.

However, the official statement did not specify exactly what act had been committed, which mosque was involved, or the full details of the judicial proceedings. In another report published on 20 October 2026, The Daily Star, citing a confidential document obtained by the Bangladeshi consulate, reported that the two men had been in detention since August 2023. The article also provided further details about the charges against them.

Available sources do not confirm that the two executed individuals were newlyweds or that they had travelled together to Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah. Therefore, there is insufficient reliable evidence to describe them as a “young married couple who had travelled to perform Umrah.”

The publicly released statement by the Saudi Ministry of Interior does not explicitly mention kissing. It refers only to an “immoral act” inside a mosque. Consequently, the claim that the individuals were executed specifically for kissing is not substantiated by the official statement.

The authenticity and relevance of the courtroom photograph attached to social media posts have also not been verified by reliable sources. Until the original source of the image is identified, it would be inappropriate to associate it with this case.

The Bangladeshi news outlet bdnews24.com reported on Bangladesh’s response to the execution of the two nationals in Saudi Arabia. The newspaper Prothom Alo also published reports concerning the Bangladeshi consulate’s appeal and details of the case.

According to these reports, the Bangladeshi side expressed concern that it had not been notified of the executions in advance and requested further information from Saudi authorities.

Conclusion: The claim that “a young Bangladeshi couple who travelled to Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah was executed for kissing” is MISLEADING.

Reports of the execution of two Bangladeshi nationals have been covered by the media. However, reliable sources have not confirmed that the individuals were newlyweds or that the death penalty was imposed specifically because they kissed.

Fact-check verdict: MISLEADING.