Press Emblem Campaign (PEC), the global body of media safety and rights, has expressed concerns over the police inaction against killers of Dhaka-based television journalist Abdul Bari, it said in an official letter.

Bari (28), who was associated with private channel DBC as a news producer, was found dead on the bank of Hatirjheel lake in Gulshan area of the capital city on June 8.

He sustained severe stabs wounds on his stomach and neck, PEC highlighted.

“PEC is alarmed at sharp increase in the number of journalists affected by violence this year, where Ukraine and Mexico emerge as the most dangerous countries in the globe so far. Since the beginning of 2022, at least 65 media workers have paid with lives for doing their job, which is a worrying development," said Blaise Lempen, president of PEC.

He also said that Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina should direct the concerned authorities to punish the perpetrators and adequately compensate the bereaved family.

Bari is the second journalist to be killed in Bangladesh this year after the murder of Mohiuddin Sarker Nayeem in Cumilla locality by suspected drug dealers, said Nava Thakuria, PEC’s south Asia representative.

Bangladesh’s eastern neighbour Myanmar witnessed the killing of one scribe (Pu Tui Dim) and its western giant neighbor.

Since the start of the year, India lost four journalists namely Rohit Kumar Biswal, Sudhir Saini, Juned Khan Pathan and Subhash KumarMahato, he added.