Chinese Vloggers Pass Off Dhaka Slums as Indian Cities in Livestreams

An estimated 150 Chinese nationals have been livestreaming from impoverished neighborhoods in Dhaka while misrepresenting the footage to domestic audiences as scenes from India. According to an investigative report published on November 6 by Bangladeshi newspaper Prothom Alo, streamers recorded in Tekpara and Uttara while claiming to broadcast from New Delhi. The broadcasts feature disparaging claims regarding living conditions, sanitation standards, and social habits across South Asian urban communities. Journalistic inquiries by Dhaka-based outlets revealed that the video content is distributed across major Chinese digital networks including Douyin, WeChat, Bilibili, and Youku. The coordinated activity has prompted scrutiny from regional media analysts regarding potential online disinformation campaigns designed to influence mainland public perceptions.

Misrepresented Livestreams: Dhaka Slums Broadcasted as New Delhi

Prothom Alo documented specific instances where vloggers delivered misleading geographic commentary to online viewers. One streamer identified as Mianmian from Sichuan province broadcasted beside a canal in Uttara's Sector 12, describing the locality as New Delhi. During her livestream, she characterized the residential surroundings as underdeveloped and unhygienic while making unverified remarks about local law and order. Another Chinese national identified as Wang Wei filmed tea vendors in Tekpara, telling viewers that the beverage consumed by residents was prepared with cow urine. Several female broadcasters also claimed in their livestreams that they resided in the settlements because they had married Indian citizens.

Disparaging Commentary and Chinese Social Media Distribution

Earlier investigative reporting by The Business Standard in May established that Chinese nationals had been filming across Dhaka's working-class settlements for multiple months. The report observed that streamers operated smartphones equipped with cooling fans to sustain extended outdoor broadcasting sessions. Local residents in Uttara and Tekpara expressed growing discomfort over persistent filming, reporting that foreign vloggers entered private homes, kitchens, and washrooms without consent. Bangladeshi news outlet Kaler Kantho reported that local residents felt uneasy as foreign groups moved through retail shops recording daily activities. Investigations revealed that local Bangladeshi guides were hired to assist streamers, earning daily wages ranging between Tk 500 and Tk 1,000. Local guides confirmed that Chinese vloggers earned money by broadcasting for hours on China-based platforms like WeChat and Douyin under the guise of commercial product promotions in low-income settlements, according to Prothom Alo. Although residents objected to the activities of the Chinese nationals, local police in Uttara do not monitor their operations, according to Prothom Alo. On-site reporting documented that local Bangladeshi guides earned Tk 700 to Tk 800 daily assisting foreign streamers in Uttara, according to Prothom Alo.

Privacy Violations, Local Reactions and Disinformation Concerns

One streamer identified as Fangyou told reporters that the video recordings formed part of commercial product promotion activities aimed at domestic Chinese consumers. However, broadcasters declined to clarify why specific low-income Bangladeshi neighborhoods were selected to represent Indian metropolitan centers. Media monitors observe that content creators leverage sensationalized poverty themes to attract viewership algorithmically on popular video-sharing platforms. The deliberate mislabeling of geographical locations undermines factual reporting and generates misleading impressions regarding living standards across India. Community leaders in Dhaka and media observers continue to call for stricter oversight regarding unauthorized recording in residential neighborhoods.