Chinese Vloggers Livestream From Dhaka Slums, Say "This Is New Delhi"

Dhaka: A bunch of Chinese nationals have reportedly been livestreaming from streets of Dhaka's poor neighbourhoods for months, passing off the footage as scenes from India and making derogatory remarks about living conditions in the national capital. These Chinese vloggers carry two mobile phones each -- one used for livestreaming, while the other is for reading or displaying information, according to Bangladeshi media reports.An investigation by Prothom Alo found that at least 150 Chinese nationals have been filming the narrow lanes of Tekpara and Uttara, neighbourhoods in Dhaka, and livestreaming the footage on Chinese social media platforms in what appears to be part of some disinformation campaign.'This Is New Delhi'These vloggers are even entering people's homes and recording videos, while claiming they are broadcasting from New Delhi, even though they are physically present in Dhaka, the report said.It said that portions of the Chinese-language livestreams were translated using Google Translate and subsequently checked by four Bangladeshis familiar with Chinese. The translations revealed disparaging commentary about Bangladeshis, their homes and their everyday lives.These translations and the context of the broadcasts have not been independently verified by NDTV.During a livestream on November 1, a Chinese woman identified as Mianmian, who introduced herself as being from China's Sichuan province, was seen showing viewers the Tekpara neighbourhood from beside a canal in Sector 12 of neighbouring Uttara.According to the translation published in the Bangladeshi media report, she told viewers, "This is New Delhi. Their homes are filthy. There isn't even a fan inside the tin-roofed houses."She went on to describe the neighbourhood as underdeveloped and unhygienic, while also commenting on the law-and-order situation.In another instance, a Chinese national identified as Wang Wei was seen filming at a roadside tea stall in Tekpara.According to the translated commentary, he told viewers, "Look, they are drinking tea. Do you know what kind of tea this is? This is cow urine tea."He allegedly went on to claim that the tea was made using dirty river water.The reports also cited instances of more favourable commentary. A Chinese national identified as Li Yang was seen showcasing air conditioners installed in buildings in Uttara, pointing out that many were Chinese brands and inviting viewers to identify them for a prize.Chinese Livestreamers Allegedly Hire Local GuidesTo decode the motives of these Chinese nationals, some Bangladeshi journalists visited the neighbourhood on October 27 and November 3 and attempted to speak to 17 such vloggers. Most declined to respond.The journalists also spoke to a local woman, Ritu Akhter, who said she had been working as a guide for the Chinese nationals for several months.According to her account, she earned between Tk 700 and Tk 800 a day for assisting them. She also claimed that several other Bangladeshi women were working in similar capacities.Ritu said the Chinese nationals earned money through videos and livestreams uploaded on China-based platforms, including WeChat and Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, as well as other platforms.She further claimed that the visitors were particularly interested in neighbourhoods inhabited by low-income communities, which explained their choice of Tekpara.One Chinese national, identified as Fangyou, told journalists that they livestreamed on WeChat as part of product promotion activities. However, he declined to explain why they had chosen this particular neighbourhood or why they continued broadcasting for such long hours.Residents Allege Invasion Of PrivacyBeyond the alleged misrepresentation of Bangladesh and the derogatory commentary, residents have raised concerns about what they describe as an intrusion into their private lives.The reports claim the filming is not restricted to public roads, shops and tea stalls. Residents have alleged that some Chinese nationals enter residential premises and record videos without seeking permission.A resident, Rozina Khatun, told Prothom Alo that "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."Another resident, Papia Begum, alleged that some livestreamers had even entered bathrooms while filming. "Even if we say something to them, they don't understand. They just smile, say sorry and leave. This kind of nuisance continues throughout the day," she said.Residents also claimed that some livestreamers return to the same neighbourhoods even after being confronted.Police Aware, But Questions RemainThe reported activity has also raised questions about monitoring and oversight. According to Bangladeshi media, local police officials have acknowledged seeing Chinese nationals livestreaming in different parts of Uttara but said they were unaware of the purpose behind the recordings.Language barriers and the reluctance of some Chinese nationals to engage with authorities have reportedly made it difficult to establish the nature of their activities.Mohammad Khalid Mansur, officer-in-charge of Uttara West Police Station, 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 allegations raise wider questions about digital privacy, consent, the use of footage of unsuspecting citizens and the circulation of potentially misleading content on social media platforms.For residents of Uttara, what began as curiosity over foreign nationals livestreaming their neighbourhood has reportedly turned into an increasingly uncomfortable experience.However, several questions remain unanswered, including who is commissioning these broadcasts, what the intended audience is, and why Bangladesh is being presented as India.