An online misinformation operation being run from Bangladesh has come under scrutiny after reports emerged of Chinese content creators using footage recorded in some of Dhaka’s economically disadvantaged neighbourhoods to misrepresent conditions in New Delhi.
According to Bangladeshi media reports, these individuals reportedly streamed videos of local streets while claiming they were filmed in Delhi and making derogatory remarks on the area’s living standards. The reports also suggest that the vloggers used two mobile phones during these broadcasts - one to stream the footage and other to access or display information.
At least 150 Chinese nationals involved in the act
The scale of the activity came to light following an investigation by Bangladeshi newspaper Prothom Alo, which identified at least 150 Chinese nationals recording videos in Dhaka's Tekpara and Uttara localities. The footage, captured along the neighbourhoods' narrow lanes, was then reportedly shared through Chinese social media platforms.
The findings have raised concerns about a possible organised effort to circulate misleading content about India.
{{/usCountry}}The findings have raised concerns about a possible organised effort to circulate misleading content about India.
{{/usCountry}}ALSO READ: ‘This is New Delhi’: Chinese Vloggers misrepresent Dhaka streets in online streams
'This is New Delhi, their homes are filthy'
To verify the content of the broadcasts, the report used Google Translate to convert selected portions of the Chinese-language streams into English. Four Bangladeshis proficient in Chinese then reviewed the translations, which reportedly contained insulting remarks targeting local residents and their day-to-day activities.
The translations and the context of the broadcasts have not been independently verified by Hindustan Times.
As per the translation published in the Bangladeshi media report, a Chinese woman identified as Mianmian told viewers, "This is New Delhi. Their homes are filthy. There isn't even a fan inside the tin-roofed houses." The woman also informs the viewers that she is from China's Sichuan province.
Bangladeshi journalists approach Chinese vloggers
Attempts to understand the intentions of the Chinese nationals led a group of Bangladeshi journalists to visit the area on October 27 and November 3. During the visits, they approached 17 vloggers believed to be Chinese nationals but the majority refused to comment.
The journalist interviewed Ritu Akhter, a local resident who revealed that she had been accompanying Chinese visitors as a guide for the past several months. She said her daily earnings for the work range from Tk 700 to Tk 800. Akhter further alleged that a number of other Bangladeshi women were also engaged in similar work.