Team Group Managing Director and a Biman pilot die in canoe accident in Canada

Bangladeshi Businessman, Biman Pilot Die in Canoe Accident in Canada

A tragic canoe accident in Sturgeon Lake, Ontario, claimed the lives of two Bangladeshis—Abdullah Hil Rakib, Managing Director of Team Group, and Captain Md Saifuzzaman, a Boeing 787 pilot for Biman Bangladesh Airlines.

The incident took place yesterday in the Kawartha Lakes region, approximately 155 kilometers northeast of Toronto. According to a report by CTV News, emergency services responded around 3:00pm local time after a canoe carrying three men capsized. One of them managed to swim ashore, while the other two were unable to stay afloat and died. Authorities noted that no life jackets were found in the canoe.

Rakib, a prominent entrepreneur and former Vice-President of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), led Team Group—a diversified conglomerate employing around 20,000 people across 12 units in sectors including apparel, retail, pharmaceuticals, IT, and real estate.

Confirming his death, BGMEA Administrator Md Anwar Hossain said he spoke with Rakib's relatives. BGMEA President-elect Mahmud Hasan Khan (Babu) expressed deep sorrow at the loss.

Biman Bangladesh Airlines also mourned the death of Captain Saifuzzaman, who had flown to Toronto two days earlier and was scheduled to return to Dhaka tomorrow. The airline praised his professionalism, responsibility, and dedication. A pilot from London has been dispatched to operate the return flight.

Biman’s Toronto office is coordinating with the Bangladesh High Commission in Canada to repatriate the body, as per the family’s request.

The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), including its Marine and Aviation units, along with local fire and EMS services, conducted the rescue and recovery operation.