More than 150 Chinese nationals have reportedly been filming and livestreaming from economically disadvantaged neighbourhoods in Dhaka, Bangladesh's capital, while falsely presenting the locations to their online audiences as parts of New Delhi, India, according to multiple reports. The misleading content, which also includes disparaging remarks about Indian living standards and hygiene, has raised serious concerns about a coordinated effort to distort India's image internationally.

What Was Filmed and Where

The activities have reportedly been under way for several months across Dhaka's Tekpara and Uttara localities, with streamers broadcasting from early morning until late at night. One Chinese content creator, identified only as 'Mianmian' and reportedly from China's Sichuan province, livestreamed on 1 November from beside a canal in Uttara Sector 12 of Dhaka, introducing the area to her viewers as New Delhi.

Bangladeshi daily Prothom Alo quoted her as saying: 'This is New Delhi. Their homes are extremely dirty. There isn't even a fan inside the tin-roofed houses. This place is quite underdeveloped, dirty and unhygienic, and the law-and-order situation is poor.'

Offensive Remarks at Tea Stalls

In a separate incident, another Chinese national was filmed livestreaming from tea stalls in Tekpara, making offensive claims about the beverages served there. Prothom Alo quoted the individual as saying: 'Look, they are drinking tea. Do you know what kind of tea this is? This is cow urine tea. They drink cow urine tea.'

The footage also reportedly contained repeated derogatory references to residents' lifestyles, sanitation conditions, and overall living standards. The content targets communities in Bangladesh while attributing those conditions to India — a deliberate geographical sleight of hand, according to observers.

A Pattern Since May 2026

These are not isolated incidents. Reports of Chinese content creators filming in Dhaka's low-income neighbourhoods and misrepresenting them as Indian locations began surfacing as far back as May 2026. The recurring pattern — the same localities, the same misrepresentation, the same disparaging commentary — has led analysts to characterise it as a coordinated, sustained campaign rather than spontaneous content creation.

Notably, the scale of participation, with over 150 individuals reportedly involved, suggests organisation beyond individual vloggers acting independently.

Concerns Over Disinformation and India's Image

The misleading portrayal has sparked concern among observers over the deliberate distortion of geographical locations to shape negative international perceptions of India. Critics argue the central issue is not merely the filming of impoverished areas, but the calculated misrepresentation of a third country's locations as Indian territory, coupled with remarks designed to influence how global audiences view Indian society.

The incidents also underscore a broader challenge: on social media platforms, sensationalised and factually inaccurate content can accumulate millions of views before fact-checks or corrections circulate widely enough to counter the original narrative.

What Happens Next

It remains unclear whether Bangladeshi or Indian authorities have formally raised the issue with their Chinese counterparts. Observers are watching whether platform moderation mechanisms respond to the volume of flagged content, and whether bilateral diplomatic channels are engaged to address what India-watchers are describing as a systematic disinformation operation targeting the country's international reputation.