The MEA criticised reports of Chinese livestreamers portraying Dhaka neighbourhoods as New Delhi. It said such false narratives undermine the credibility of those involved.The reports have raised concerns because the videos do not merely appear to focus on poverty.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has raised concerns over reports that Chinese livestreamers were filming in parts of Dhaka and presenting the footage to viewers as scenes from New Delhi, calling the practice an attempt to spread "false narratives".MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said such deliberate misrepresentation could damage the credibility of those involved. The remarks came after reports emerged of Chinese nationals recording and livestreaming from low-income neighbourhoods in the Bangladeshi capital while making disparaging comments about living conditions and portraying the locations as being in India.Responding to a question at his biweekly media briefing, Jaiswal said India had taken note of the reports and criticised the alleged practice."We have seen media reports in this regard.

Such efforts to present a distorted picture of any country are unfortunate. Insofar as efforts to buy foreign elements to portray Dhaka as Delhi are concerned, the peddling of false narratives only undermines the credibility of those who are undertaking such actions and those who are behind them.

And I would urge the authorities concerned to take action against such people," he said. #WATCH | Delhi: On Chinese vloggers reportedly livestreaming from slums in Dhaka, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal says, "We have seen media reports in this regard. Such efforts to present a distorted picture of any country are unfortunate.

Insofar as efforts to buy foreign elements to portray Dhaka as Delhi are concerned, the peddling of false narratives only undermines the credibility of those who are undertaking such actions and those who are behind them. And I would urge the authorities concerned to take action against such people."— ANI (@ANI) November 10, 2026 DHAKA SHOWN AS DELHI?The controversy centres on footage recorded in parts of Dhaka, including Uttara's Sector 12 and Tekpara.

An investigation by Bangladeshi newspaper Prothom Alo found Chinese nationals livestreaming from the neighbourhoods on Chinese social media platforms while identifying the locations as New Delhi.One streamer, identified as "Mianmian" and described as being from China's Sichuan province, was reportedly seen broadcasting from beside a canal in Uttara on November 1. During the livestream, she presented the area as part of India's capital and spoke negatively about the homes and surrounding conditions.

Another streamer, identified as "Wang Wei", was reportedly seen filming at tea stalls in Tekpara. His commentary included an allegation that the tea consumed by local residents was made using cow urine.The reports have raised concerns because the videos do not merely appear to focus on poverty.

They combine footage from Bangladesh with claims about India, potentially giving viewers a misleading impression of conditions in the Indian capital.REPEATED FILMING RAISES MORE QUESTIONSReports suggest the activity has continued for several months rather than being limited to a single livestream.The Business Standard reported in May that Chinese vloggers had been filming in densely populated and low-income parts of Dhaka, particularly Tekpara. Some were reportedly using iPhones fitted with cooling fans, indicating that they were conducting prolonged filming sessions.The outlet also examined videos available on Chinese platforms including Bilibili and Youku.

Several reportedly followed a similar format, focusing heavily on poverty and using terms such as "poor", "dirty" and "slum" in their titles. Some videos appeared to present the vloggers as helping people living in difficult circumstances, adding another layer to questions about the purpose of the content.WHY IS THE FOOTAGE BEING MADE?The precise purpose behind the livestreams remains unclear.One Chinese national identified as "Fangyou" reportedly told Prothom Alo that the broadcasts were linked to product-promotion activities.

However, the person did not explain why impoverished neighbourhoods in Dhaka were being selected for the videos.That explanation has not resolved questions over why some livestreamers allegedly identify Bangladesh locations as being in India, particularly when the commentary is critical of living conditions.There are also concerns about how residents are being filmed. Reports by Bangladeshi news outlets alleged that some vloggers entered private spaces without permission while recording.

Residents reportedly claimed that filming took place inside homes and other areas where consent had not been given.For context, foreign interest in poverty across South Asia is not new, with India in particular long attracting documentaries, tourists and content creators drawn to its densely populated informal settlements. However, portraying footage from Bangladesh as scenes from India raises concerns that go beyond the usual fascination with poverty and into the realm of deliberately misleading narratives.- Ends