Committee led by Rashidul, Rana and Moti is valid MUJ Khulna dispute ends

The appeal case of Metropolitan Journalists Union Khulna has been dismissed.

This was announced in an order of the Labor Appellate Court in Dhaka in response to the application of plaintiff Rafiul Islam Tutul.

As the defendant’s lawyer did not object to the plaintiff’s application, legal experts said that the seven-member committee led by Md. Rashidul Islam, President, Abdur Razzak Rana, General Secretary and Rakibul Islam Moti, Treasurer, formed on the basis of a compromise, is valid.

The court’s order has ended the long-standing dispute of Metropolitan Journalists Union (MUJ) Khulna.

The order was made in the wake of a petition to withdraw the appeal case (06/2021) after the Labour Appellate Tribunal in Dhaka, headed by Chairman Justice SM Dastagir Hossain and member Md. Tariq Murshed Siddiqui, formed a committee for the 2025-2026 session on the basis of compromise. The order stated, “The appellant has filed an application that he will not proceed with this appeal any further and the other party has no objection in this regard. In such a situation, the appeal is dismissed on grounds of non-compliance.”

The plaintiff’s lawyer, Advocate Md. Humayun Kabir, said that since the election was held on the basis of compromise and the seven-member committee led by Rashidul Islam, Abdur Razzak Rana and Rakibul Islam Moti was formed, the current committee is valid.

Advocate Abdullahil Maruf Fahim, the lawyer for defendants 5 and 6, said, “I was present in the court when the application was filed by the plaintiff. Since the committee was formed on the basis of compromise, I had no objection to the plaintiff’s application.”

However, Advocate Md. Nasir Uddin Khan Samrat, the lawyer for defendants 3, 7 and 8, said, “Since the plaintiff has withdrawn the case, I have not raised any objection.”

It is worth noting that since the Metropolitan Journalists Union, Khulna had not held elections for 12 years, the Bangladesh Federal Journalists Union-BFUJ and the Metropolitan Journalists Union, Khulna held elections for the 2025-2026 session based on the opinions and compromise of journalist leaders and union members. A 7-member committee was formed for the election, including Md. Rashidul Islam as president, Abdur Razzak Rana as general secretary and Rakibul Islam Moti as treasurer. The Labor Appellate Tribunal issued the order after plaintiff Rafiul Islam Tutul filed a petition to withdraw the case. This ended the union’s long-standing dispute.