Team Group managing director and former senior vice-president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), Abdullah Hil Rakib, has died in a boating accident in Canada at the age of 54.

His death was confirmed on Monday morning by Mohiuddin Rubel, additional managing director of Denim Expert Ltd and former BGMEA director.

According to a post from the Ontario Provincial Police – Central Region on X (formerly Twitter), two men died after their canoe capsized in the Kawartha Lakes area of Sturgeon Lake, Ontario, on Sunday afternoon (Canadian time), which was early Monday in Bangladesh.

Mohiuddin Rubel confirmed that one of the deceased was Abdullah Hil Rakib.

Rakib was a well-known figure in Bangladesh’s readymade garment (RMG) sector.

According to his LinkedIn profile and the Team Group website, the company began operations in garments and textiles in 2009 with three manufacturing units.

Over time, Team Group evolved into a major RMG conglomerate comprising six apparel and backward linkage factories: Brothers Fashion Limited, 4A Yarn Dyeing Limited, Gramtech Limited, South End Sweaters, Mars Stitch Limited, and CBM Limited.

Beyond textiles, Rakib expanded his business ventures into pharmaceuticals, information technology, real estate and retail.

Team Group is regarded as a trendsetter in sustainable and responsible business practices in Bangladesh, with one LEED Gold-certified factory and two more registered with the US Green Building Council for potential LEED Platinum certification.

Rakib served in various leadership roles at BGMEA from 2013 to 2024, including as Director, vice-president, and senior vice-president.

He was also a member of the Board of Trustees of the BGMEA University of Fashion and Technology, where he actively promoted stronger industry-academia partnerships.

Additionally, he supported the nationwide Textile Talent Hunt initiative, aimed at strengthening the RMG sector’s talent pipeline.

According to family sources, Rakib’s namaz-e-janaza and other religious rites will take place on Wednesday, and the body is expected to be flown back to Bangladesh on Thursday, June 12, with tentative arrival on Friday, June 13.

Mahmud Hasan Khan Babu, President-Elect of BGMEA, expressed profound grief over Rakib’s passing, describing it as a significant loss for the industry and the country.