Former Arsenal and Real Madrid midfielder Mesut Ozil is safe after a minor road accident involving his convoy during an official visit to Bangladesh. The incident took place on Thursday evening while Ozil was returning from a visit to the Rohingya refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar as part of a Turkish delegation.
According to local reports, Ozil and other members of the delegation including Necmettin Bilal Erdogan, son of the Turkish President, were not harmed in the incident. Bangladesh police officials confirmed that everyone involved remained in good health and did not sustain any injuries. The delegation later travelled safely to Dhaka via a special flight that departed Cox’s Bazar Airport at approximately 8:02 pm.
The accident occurred in the Kutupalong area of Ukhiya around 7 pm when an autorickshaw collided with a police vehicle leading the convoy. The autorickshaw reportedly overturned following the impact, leaving the driver seriously injured. Authorities have since seized the vehicle and launched an investigation to understand how it entered a restricted high-security zone reserved for VVIP movements.
Earlier in the day, Ozil spent time at the Rohingya camp inspecting humanitarian activities. He was also seen playing football with refugees and later joined them for iftar in the evening. His visit was welcomed warmly by the local community, with representatives highlighting the positive influence his presence had on young people at the camp.
During his Bangladesh tour, Ozil also attended the inauguration of renovated facilities at the Shaheed Buddhijibi Dr Mohammad Mortoza Medical Centre at the University of Dhaka. Officials and local organisers stated that the former football star’s visit carried strong symbolic value and helped draw global attention to humanitarian efforts in the region.
