A vehicle convoy carrying former German World Cup winner Mesut Ozil and Necmettin Bilal Erdogan, the son of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was involved in a minor road incident on Thursday evening while returning from humanitarian activities in Cox’s Bazar.
The incident occurred around 6:45–7:00 pm on the Cox’s Bazar–Teknaf highway in the Kutupalong area of Ukhiya upazila, officials said. The convoy was making its way back after visiting Rohingya refugee camps and taking part in an iftar event.
According to Saiful Islam, Officer-in-Charge of the Shahpori Highway Police Station, a battery-operated three-wheeler or auto-rickshaw suddenly entered the main road from a side path and collided with a police escort vehicle assigned to secure the VIP convoy.
While the vehicles carrying Ozil and Bilal Erdogan were positioned at the front and escaped damage, the auto-rickshaw was badly mangled in the collision. The driver was seriously injured and later taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. Police have seized the damaged vehicle and launched an investigation into the cause of the incident.
Authorities are probing whether the crash was due to a traffic breach, a breakdown in VIP protocol, or a genuine accident, with legal action to follow based on findings. No members of the Turkish delegation or Ozil’s team were harmed. Earlier in the day, Ozil and the Turkish delegation engaged with Rohingya communities, participated in football activities with youth at Camp 4, and attended an iftar gathering in the camp.
