What started as a day of humanitarian aid ended in an unexpected horror on the road for former Germany star Mesut Ozil in Bangladesh. A vehicle in his convoy was involved in a road accident in Cox’s Bazar on Thursday evening while returning from Rohingya refugee camps.
A motorcade carrying Necmettin Bilal Erdogan, son of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was traveling on the Cox’s Bazar–Teknaf highway when one of the escort vehicles collided with a battery-powered autorickshaw near Kutupalong.
According to police, the accident happened shortly before 7:00 p.m. Ozil and members of the delegation were safe, but the autorickshaw was badly damaged and its driver was injured.
The injured driver was treated at the scene and the vehicle was secured in the meantime. Authorities have launched an investigation to find out how the autorickshaw got into the VIP convoy and allegedly violated safety protocol before the collision took place.
While no one in the delegation was injured, the brief scare momentarily detracted from what was otherwise a day of networking 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 the Rohingya camps in Ukhiya, where they viewed medical facilities and educational centers supported by Turkish organizations.
Mesut Ozil comes to Bangladesh” .. “Sadiq Qayyim gave a gift to former German footballer Mesut Ozil on behalf of Dhaka.” – in Dhaka, Bangladesh. pic.twitter.com/ewJFzE6vRF— Diploma Sakhawat Hasan (@HasanSakha8500) February 18, 2026
In the afternoon, the former World Cup winner gave fans a sight they could only dream of as he even joined a group of Rohingya youngsters for a friendly match at Camp 4. The sight of Özil on the pitch sparked excitement among children and locals alike, many of whom were eager to catch a glimpse of the former Arsenal and Real Madrid playmaker.
Earlier in the trip, Ozil also attended the inauguration of the renovated facilities at the Shaheed Buddhijibi Dr Mohammad Mortoza Medical Center at Dhaka University. The modernized center now offers improved emergency services and new medical equipment as part of a Turkish-backed initiative.
The visit mixed diplomacy, charity and football. Thursday’s traffic accident may have caused a brief disruption, but it did little to overshadow the larger purpose of the trip – engagement, support and a reminder of football’s reach beyond the pitch.
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Issued by:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published on:
February 20, 2026