Chinese nationals livestreaming in Uttara neighbourhoods, entering homes and filming residents

A group of Chinese nationals have been roaming the streets of Dhaka, each carrying two mobile phones. One phone is used for livestreaming, while something is written on the other. At first glance, they might be mistaken for journalists or people working on Google Street View. But they have been livestreaming in this manner for months, from morning until night. At times, they even enter people's homes to film, leaving local residents confused and uncomfortable.

Such activities can be seen in Sector 12 and the Tekpara area of Uttara, where Chinese nationals are regularly spotted recording videos. The exact number of Chinese nationals involved in the activity is unknown.

Local residents, however, estimate that more than 150 Chinese nationals are filming in the neighbourhood's narrow streets and alleys. They have little idea where the videos are published or what is being said in them. Nor, they say, do local police appear to monitor the activities.

What initially sparked curiosity among residents has increasingly become a source of irritation, as the livestreaming continues throughout the day.

Local residents say the Chinese nationals livestream from different parts of Uttara, with the Tekpara area being their most frequent location. Tekpara is situated along a canal beside Sector 12 of Uttara.

Compared with other parts of Uttara, Tekpara is relatively underdeveloped and predominantly inhabited by low-income people. The densely populated neighbourhood is also poorly maintained and unhygienic. Yet it is precisely this area that the Chinese nationals have chosen for their videos.

The Chinese nationals speak while livestreaming, apparently describing what they are filming. However, local residents cannot understand them because they use Chinese.

One of the Chinese nationals named Fangyou told a Bengali daily that they livestreamed on a Chinese platform called WeChat as part of product promotions. However, when asked why they had chosen this particular neighbourhood in Uttara and why they livestreamed continuously, he refused to answer further.

An analysis of the livestreams revealed that, despite filming in Uttara, the Chinese nationals were telling viewers that they were broadcasting from New Delhi, India. Some described Bangladeshis as poor people living in dirty and damp conditions. Others claimed that Bangladeshi men misused money when they got their hands on it. Some Chinese women livestreaming from the area also claimed that they were living there with their husbands and families after getting married in India.

However, some Chinese nationals were also heard making positive remarks about Bangladesh.