PEC demands action against Bangladesh scribe killers

By Navathakuria- June 18/2022

Geneva: Press Emblem Campaign (PEC), the global media safety and rights body, expresses concern over the police inaction to nab the killers of  Dhaka-based television journalist Abdul Bari, who was found dead on the bank of Hatirjheel lake in Gulshan  area of the capital city on 8 June. Journalist Bari (28), who was associated with private channel DBC as a news producer, faced severe stabs by miscreants on his stomach and neck. Hailing from Sirajganj Sadar, Bari earlier worked for Mohona Television.

“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 (www.pressemblem.ch), adding 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 neighbour India lost four journalists (namely Rohit Kumar Biswal, Sudhir Saini, Juned Khan Pathan and Subhash Kumar Mahato) to assailants since 1 January 2022, he added.