On February 8, journalist and vlogger Bilal Ghauri was released after being briefly detained at Jinnah International Airport while attempting to travel to Dhaka to cover Bangladesh’s parliamentary elections. His release followed several hours in custody after immigration officials stopped him at the airport.

Reports indicated that Ghauri was prevented from boarding his flight when officials said his name appeared on the Exit Control List (ECL). His mobile phone was also taken during the detention. A photograph circulating on social media showed him seated beside his luggage with what appeared to be handcuffs, prompting responses from journalists who noted the image.

In a statement posted on X, Ghauri said the incident resulted from a technical error and added that no institution was at fault. He stated that he was safe and intended to resume his travel plans, including flying to Dhaka on the next available flight to cover the elections in Bangladesh. He also thanked the institutions involved for their support.