What began as a day of humanitarian outreach ended with an unexpected road scare for former Germany star Mesut Ozil in Bangladesh. A vehicle in his convoy was involved in a traffic accident in Cox’s Bazar on Thursday evening while returning from the Rohingya refugee camps.
The motorcade, which included Necmettin Bilal Erdogan, son of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was travelling along the Cox’s Bazar–Teknaf highway when one of the escort vehicles collided with a battery-powered auto-rickshaw near Kutupalong.
Police officials said the accident happened shortly before 7 pm. Ozil and members of the delegation were safe, but the auto-rickshaw was badly damaged and its driver sustained injuries.
The injured driver was treated locally, and the vehicle has since been seized. Authorities have launched an investigation to determine how the auto-rickshaw entered the VIP convoy, reportedly breaching security protocol before the collision took place.
While no one from the delegation was hurt, the brief scare momentarily shifted attention away from what had otherwise been a day of outreach and interaction.
WHAT WAS OZIL DOING IN BANGLADESH?
Ozil was in Bangladesh as part of an 11-member Turkish delegation led by Bilal Erdogan on a humanitarian and goodwill tour. The group visited Rohingya camps in Ukhiya, where they inspected medical facilities and education centres supported by Turkish organisations.
In the afternoon, the former World Cup winner gave fans a sight they could have only dreamt of, as he even joined group Rohingya youngsters for a friendly match at Camp 4. The sight of Ozil on the field sparked excitement among children and locals, many eager for a glimpse of the former Arsenal and Real Madrid playmaker.
Earlier in the trip, Ozil also attended the inauguration of renovated facilities at the Shaheed Buddhijibi Dr Mohammad Mortoza Medical Centre at the University of Dhaka. The upgraded centre now features improved emergency services and new medical equipment as part of a Turkish-backed initiative.
The visit blended diplomacy, charity and football. Thursday’s road accident may have caused a brief disruption, but it did little to overshadow the broader purpose of the trip — engagement, support and a reminder of football’s reach beyond the pitch.
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