For six years, Urmi Group has backed sporting events from the sidelines. Now it is putting its own football team on the field.
The company will take part in the BGMEA Cup 2026, which begins on 20 October with 16 teams. Its squad was chosen through a player draft held on 19 September.
Ahead of the tournament, Urmi Group held a meet-and-greet with the players at its corporate office on Thursday. Senior management welcomed the squad, including Director Faiaz Rahman, Group COO Mir Ashraful Hossain, Advisor to the Managing Director Air Vice Marshal (Retd.) Badrul Amin and Turaag Active COO Nayeem Aktar. The talk focused on preparations, expectations and building stronger bonds between the players and the organisation they represent. Preparation matches began on 2 October.
In the group stage, Team Urmi Group will face Musharaf Apparels, Bando Design and Fabrica Knit Composite Limited.
The squad includes midfielders Badsha Alamgir, Azan Sayeed, Shahed and Roman, full back Mohammad Akash Mia, goalkeeper Arman Hossain, wingers Moniruzzaman Rabbi and Sadat Hamid, defenders Sakib Sultan Rafu and Ibrahim Khalil, and strikers Nakichandra Das and Ishmam. Wali Mohammad Hafiz will coach the team, with Taimur Reza as his assistant.
Rahman said Urmi Group and Turaag Active have worked with athletes and events across marathon, chess, squash, football, boxing, golf and triathlon over the past six years. He said that work began with sponsorship and support for events, and is now moving toward a longer commitment to developing athletes and nurturing promising talent.
He also spoke from his own experience as a squash player. “I understand how important recognition, encouragement and institutional support can be for an athlete,” he said. He added that the company wants to take a more active role in finding and developing promising squash players, with the aim of helping them compete internationally and bring recognition to Bangladesh.
“Talent and hard work are essential, but athletes also need people and institutions that believe in their potential and support them along the way,” Rahman said.
Urmi Group has tried to stay connected with sports and stand beside athletes, he said, and its BGMEA Cup entry is another reflection of that.
For a company that began by supporting events, fielding its own team is a visible next step.