A day of humanitarian outreach in Bangladesh for former Germany footballer Mesut Ozil ended with an unexpected road scare when a vehicle in his convoy was involved in a collision in Cox’s Bazar on Thursday evening. The convoy, 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 confirmed that Ozil and members of the delegation were safe. The auto-rickshaw was badly damaged, and its driver sustained injuries, receiving treatment locally. Authorities have seized the vehicle and launched an investigation into how the auto-rickshaw entered the VIP convoy, reportedly breaching security protocol.
Ozil’s visit was part of an 11-member Turkish delegation on a humanitarian and goodwill tour, with a focus on supporting Rohingya refugee camps in Ukhiya. The delegation inspected medical facilities and education centres supported by Turkish organisations. Earlier, Ozil joined Rohingya children for a friendly football match at Camp 4, bringing excitement and joy to the local community.
The former Arsenal and Real Madrid playmaker 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 enhanced emergency services and modern medical equipment as part of a Turkish-backed initiative.
While the road accident caused a brief disruption, it did little to overshadow the broader goals of the visit — diplomacy, charity, and football outreach. Ozil’s presence highlighted the positive influence of sport beyond the pitch and reinforced the humanitarian mission of the Turkish delegation in Bangladesh.
