India has expressed concern over reports that Chinese nationals were filming impoverished neighbourhoods in Bangladesh and falsely presenting the footage online as scenes from New Delhi, describing such attempts as unfortunate efforts to create a distorted image of another country.

Nearly 150 Chinese WeChat streamers landed in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and spent an entire day livestreaming the city's slums while passing them off as locations in INDIA.

Responding to questions during a media briefing, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India had taken note of media reports surrounding the issue.

He remarked that attempts to portray any country inaccurately were regrettable and risked misleading audiences.

Addressing allegations that foreign nationals had been engaged in efforts to depict parts of Dhaka as areas of New Delhi, Jaiswal said such actions ultimately damage the credibility of those responsible.

He stated, “Peddling of false narratives only undermines the credibility of those who are undertaking such actions and those who are filming them.”

He also called on the relevant authorities to investigate the matter and take appropriate action in response to the reported activities.

The comments follow an investigative report by Bangladeshi newspaper Prothom Alo, which claimed that around 150 Chinese nationals had been filming in several low-income neighbourhoods in Dhaka and broadcasting the footage on Chinese digital platforms while identifying the locations as New Delhi.

According to the report, filming took place in areas such as Tekpara and Uttara. The content allegedly portrayed these neighbourhoods as parts of the Indian capital and included derogatory commentary about local living standards, sanitation and infrastructure.

In one reported incident, a Chinese livestreamer identified as ‘Mianmian’ broadcast from Uttara’s Sector 12 on 1 November and claimed the location was New Delhi. During the livestream, she reportedly said: “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.”

Another individual identified as ‘Wang Wei’ was reportedly filmed in Tekpara commenting on local tea vendors and making disparaging remarks about the beverage consumed by residents. According to the report, he stated: “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 broadcasts were reportedly streamed through Chinese social media platforms including WeChat and Douyin, enabling the content to reach large online audiences.

The investigation also highlighted concerns among local residents, who alleged that filming crews had entered homes, kitchens and other private spaces without obtaining consent beforehand. Such activities prompted unease about privacy and the conduct of foreign content creators operating in residential communities.

According to the report, local facilitators assisted the visiting Chinese nationals by guiding them through the neighbourhoods. These individuals were reportedly paid between 700 and 800 Bangladeshi taka per day for their services.

Local police in the Uttara area reportedly acknowledged having observed foreign nationals filming in the locality. However, authorities were still reviewing the purpose and nature of the activities at the time of reporting.

The episode has drawn attention to the growing influence of cross-border digital content creation and the potential impact of misinformation campaigns, particularly when footage is deliberately misidentified to create misleading narratives about another country.

ANI