Chinese nationals stream from poor localities of Dhaka, claim those are in Delhi

The setting is Dhaka, but the audience in China is told it is Delhi. An estimated total of over 150 Chinese nationals have been livestreaming from an underprivileged neighbourhood in Dhaka, falsely presenting it to their viewers back home as everyday life in India, an investigation by the Bangladeshi newspaper Prothom Alo revealed.

Equipped with two smartphones each - one used to stream live and the other with scripts - they broadcast from early morning until late at night. According to the report, the streamers focus on Sector 12 and Tekpara, which are dense, low-income settlements along a canal in Uttara town, located north of Dhaka, where they film along the tin-roofed houses. Local guides, hired for Tk 700 to Tk 800 (Rs 525-Rs 600) a day, assist the Chinese nationals in navigating the area.

While most of these creators refused to speak to Prothom Alo, some only gave their names and nationality. A Chinese national named Fangyou, after being persuaded by a guide, said that such streams are broadcast on China-based platforms such as WeChat and Douyin (the mainland version of TikTok) as "part of product promotion activities". Google translations of their commentary, verified by four Bangladeshis who know Chinese, revealed misrepresentation.

In one instance, a Chinese woman identifying herself as Mianmian showed the tin huts and said, "This is Delhi. Their homes are extremely dirty... and the law-and-order situation is poor." At a bridge flanked by tea stalls, another creator named Wang Wei could be heard telling his audience that locals were drinking "cow urine tea" prepared with contaminated river water. Some streamers claimed they were Chinese women married to Indian men living in these neighbourhoods, while promoting Chinese air conditioner brands seen on building walls.

The continuous broadcasts have sparked anger among residents over violations of privacy. Locals, who talked to Prothom Alo, said that streamers routinely enter homes unannounced, sometimes even filming into bathrooms. When residents protest, the streamers apologise and leave, only to return soon after. Despite months of complaints from residents, the police have not monitored or regulated this activity. Mohammad Khalid Mansur, officer-in-charge of Uttara West Police Station, told Prothom Alo that officers were aware of the filming but attempts to pursue the matter have been hindered due to language barriers.