Football sensation Mesut Ozil, a key player in Germany’s 2014 World Cup victory, accompanied by Necmettin Bilal Erdogan, the son of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, paid a visit to Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar on an official one-day tour. The duo landed at Cox’s Bazar Airport via a special flight from Dhaka at approximately 10:45 am, accompanied by an 11-member entourage including Abdullah Eren, the head of the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA), Turkish Ambassador Ramis Sen, as well as government officials, business figures, and media personnel.
Upon arrival, Cox’s Bazar Deputy Commissioner Abdul Mannan and Superintendent of Police Sajedur Rahman welcomed the delegation at the airport. Subsequently, the group proceeded to the office of the Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC) in Cox’s Bazar for discussions with government officials and representatives from Turkish organizations involved in the camps.
Following the meeting at the RRRC office, Bilal Erdogan emphasized the importance of repatriation, stressing the fundamental right of refugees to return to their homes as mandated by international law. Bilal expressed gratitude to Ozil for his presence, highlighting the football star’s decision to share his first Ramadan iftar with the Rohingya refugees.
The delegation also toured the Turkish Field Hospital and the educational and cultural center managed by TIKA at Balukhali Camp-9 in Ukhiya. Ozil later engaged in a friendly football match with Rohingya refugees before the group joined the refugees for the iftar meal.
In the evening, the delegation concluded their visit and returned to Dhaka.
