Chinese vloggers livestream from Dhaka slums, misrepresenting location as New Delhi
Investigations reveal that dozens of Chinese nationals have been livestreaming from poor neighborhoods in Dhaka, claiming the footage shows New Delhi and making disparaging remarks about local residents.
Bangladeshi media reports say at least 150 Chinese nationals have been livestreaming from the Tekpara and Uttara areas of Dhaka for several months. The streams, posted on Chinese platforms such as WeChat and Douyin, are presented as scenes from India, with the vloggers describing the neighbourhoods as "New Delhi" and offering derogatory commentary about the homes and living conditions.
One livestream on November 1 featured a woman identified as Mianmian, who said, "This is New Delhi. Their homes are filthy. There isn’t even a fan inside the tin-roofed houses." Another streamer, identified as Wang Wei, described tea sold at a local stall as "cow urine tea" made with dirty river water. A third participant, Li Yang, highlighted Chinese-brand air conditioners in the area and invited viewers to identify them for a prize.
Local residents say the vloggers often enter private homes without permission, filming interiors and even bathrooms. Rozina Khatun told Prothom Alo, "Sometimes they enter our homes and start filming. We are not always properly dressed inside our houses. Imagine how it feels when someone suddenly walks into your home and starts recording." Papia Begum added that the intruders "just smile, say sorry and leave" despite complaints.
Bangladeshi journalists who approached 17 of the livestreamers received little response. A local guide, Ritu Akhter, said she earned Tk 700-800 per day assisting the Chinese nationals and that several other women performed similar work. One streamer, Fangyou, claimed the broadcasts were part of product-promotion activities but declined to explain the choice of location.
Police in Uttara acknowledge the presence of the Chinese livestreamers but say they are still investigating the purpose of the recordings. Officer-in-charge Mohammad Khalid Mansur told Prothom Alo, "I actually don’t know why they make these videos. I don’t know where the videos are screened either. However, I have informed senior authorities that they are making these videos. Work is underway on the matter."
The situation raises concerns about digital privacy, consent and the spread of potentially misleading content on social media platforms.