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With a heartfelt commitment to completing the unfinished work he left behind, colleagues from the apparel sector paid their final respects to Abdullah Hil Rakib, the Founder and Managing Director of Team Group, and a stalwart of the industry for over three decades.
The farewell ceremony took place on Saturday morning at the BGMEA Complex in Uttara, Dhaka, ahead of his first Namaz-e-Janazah. Leaders from the readymade garment (RMG) sector gathered to honour his legacy, reminiscing through tearful eyes and fond memories.
Former BGMEA President Faruque Hassan recalled, “I had the opportunity to work with Abdullah Hil Rakib for many years. I always witnessed how he prioritised his family, friends, business, and BGMEA equally. In times of crisis or challenges in the sector, he was always the first to step forward.”
He added, “Rakib used to say any scale cannot measure that success, but the number of people who attend your janazah (funeral prayer) says something about the life you led. Today, his words have been proven true once again.”
Abdullah Hil Rakib served four terms at BGMEA, most recently as the Senior Vice President of the association. Just last month, he contested in the BGMEA Board of Directors election as a candidate from the Sammilita Parishad.
Speaking at the funeral, the panel’s leader and Managing Director of Chaity Group, Md. Abul Kalam, said, “Abdullah Hil Rakib dreamed of elevating Bangladesh’s apparel exports to the $100 billion mark. We are committed to making that dream a reality.”
Former BGMEA President S. M. Fazlul Hoque remarked, “Rakib was a shining light with many dreams. A storm has now extinguished that flame. Let us all pray for him.”
Another former BGMEA President, Quazi Moniruzzaman, noted, “Rakib created employment opportunities for hundreds of thousands. We pledge to follow in his footsteps.”
Md. Anwar Hossain, the current administrator of BGMEA, said, “Rakib’s death is an immense loss. He was a successful entrepreneur on a national scale and passionately envisioned $100 billion in RMG exports.”
Urmi Group Managing Director Asif Ashraf paid tribute, saying, “Abdullah Hil Rakib was a rare individual. He had a vision not just for business and the apparel industry but for the nation as a whole. He believed in collective progress—beyond political or personal divides—to build a stronger BGMEA. He was the pioneer of skills development, design and development, ESG (environment, sustainability and Good Governance) and branding Bangladesh in the global market.”
Mahmud Hasan Khan, Managing Director of Rising Group and leader of the victorious Forum Panel in the recent BGMEA election, also requested prayers for Rakib.
Rakib’s elder brother and Deputy Managing Director of Team Group, Abdullah Hil Nakib, delivered a moving speech remembering his sibling.
In a tearful tribute, Rakib’s daughter, Lamia Tabassum, said, “My father used to dream, and inspire us to dream. He left behind many visions and responsibilities. We seek everyone’s prayers so that we can fulfil his legacy with honour.”
Abdullah Hil Rakib, Managing Director of Team Group and his friend and Bangladesh Biman Captain Saifuzzaman Guddu tragically passed away in a boating accident on a lake in Canada on the afternoon of 8 June Canadian local time.
Both bodies were repatriated to Dhaka on Friday night aboard a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight.
On Saturday morning, Rakib’s namaz-e-janazah was held at the BGMEA Complex. Due to the large number of mourners, a second funeral prayer was also held at the same venue.
Rakib had been involved in the country’s readymade garment (RMG) sector for over three decades and most recently served as the Senior Vice President of BGMEA. A visionary entrepreneur, he began his career with six years of experience at both local and international companies after completing his education. In 1999, he entered the industry by establishing a buying house under a profit-sharing model, which later evolved into garment manufacturing.
What set Rakib apart was his unique approach—reviving struggling garment factories rather than building from scratch. He successfully turned around four such factories, two of which are now certified as environmentally friendly. His ventures created employment for thousands. He also founded Twelve, a homegrown fashion brand catering to the domestic market.
Rakib was the fourth among three sisters and two brothers. He is survived by his wife, Afroza Shaheen, and their two children, Mahir Daiyan and Lamia Tabassum. The family had been residing in Toronto, Canada, for the children’s education, with Afroza Shaheen living there full-time. Rakib would visit them during holidays. He had travelled to Canada on 5 June to celebrate Eid with his family. It was during this visit that the fatal accident occurred. Captain Md. Saifuzzaman of Biman Bangladesh Airlines, a close friend of Rakib, also died in the same incident.
Rakib’s first janazah in Canada was held on Wednesday evening at the Sunnah Jamaat Masjid in Danforth, Toronto. After his body was returned to Bangladesh, the first funeral prayer was held Saturday morning at the BGMEA office in Uttara. A second janazah is scheduled after Zuhr prayers at Banani DOHS, followed by his burial at the BAF Shaheen Cemetery.
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