Football legend Mesut Ozil in Bangladesh

Sports Reporter :

Germany’s World Cup-winning footballer Mesut Ozil unexpectedly visited Dhaka University on Wednesday. He arrived in Bangladesh in complete secrecy. He was there for less than an hour to inaugurate the medical center at Dhaka University. Ozil didn’t give any speech and the media was not allowed to speak at the event.

Ozil inaugurated the newly renovated medical centre, refurbished with financial assistance from the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA). The project, implemented at a cost of around Tk 27.5 million, included infrastructure upgrades and service enhancements aimed at improving healthcare access for students, teachers and staff.

Dressed in a dark suit and smiling warmly, the 2014 World Cup winner toured the upgraded facility, exchanged greetings with students and paused repeatedly for photographs. For many on campus, it was a rare chance to see a global football figure up close.

The inauguration ceremony, held at 3:00pm, was presided over by DU Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Niaz Ahmed Khan. Among those present were Turkish Ambassador to Bangladesh Ramis Sen, TIKA President Abdullah Eren, and Bilal Erdogan, son of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Addressing the gathering, Bilal Erdogan said Ozil would travel to Cox’s Bazar to play football with Rohingya children, highlighting ongoing humanitarian engagement by Turkish organisations in Bangladesh.

The footballer is also scheduled to attend an iftar at a Rohingya camp before concluding his brief visit and departing at night.

DUCSU Sports Secretary Arman Hossain said TIKA provided full financial support for the medical centre’s development, and Ozil’s presence marked the official inauguration of the project.

University authorities expressed hope that the renovation would significantly strengthen on-campus healthcare services, ensuring quicker and more reliable medical support for the university community.

But beyond the formal speeches and ribbon-cutting, it was the atmosphere that stood out. From the Arts Building to the medical centre grounds, clusters of students waited patiently, some recalling Ozil’s glory days with Germany and clubs like Real Madrid and Arsenal. Others simply wanted to tell him how he inspired their love for football.

For a few hours, Dhaka University turned into a mini football arena of cheers and camera flashes – proof that even years after lifting the World Cup, Mesut Ozil still knows how to draw a crowd, thousands of miles away from the stadiums where he made his name.