'Bangladeshi girl invites me to her home': White privilege and the terrorising by foreign Youtubers | The Business Standard
Skip to main content
  • Epaper
  • Economy
    • Aviation
    • Banking
    • Bazaar
    • Budget
    • Industry
    • NBR
    • RMG
    • Corporates
  • Stocks
  • Analysis
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • Subscribe
    • Epaper
    • GOVT. Ad
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
The Business Standard

Friday
May 30, 2025

Sign In
Subscribe
  • Epaper
  • Economy
    • Aviation
    • Banking
    • Bazaar
    • Budget
    • Industry
    • NBR
    • RMG
    • Corporates
  • Stocks
  • Analysis
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • Subscribe
    • Epaper
    • GOVT. Ad
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
FRIDAY, MAY 30, 2025
'Bangladeshi girl invites me to her home': White privilege and the terrorising by foreign Youtubers

Thoughts

Yashab Osama Rahman
27 March, 2024, 09:00 pm
Last modified: 28 March, 2024, 12:46 pm

Related News

  • Bangladesh recalls ambassador from Myanmar
  • Meghna tidal surge floods over 100 villages as incessant daylong rain batters Lakshmipur
  • Sundarbans inundated by rain, tidal surge
  • Ziaur Rahman's 44th death anniversary today 
  • India for 'inclusive, fair, free' polls in Bangladesh at an early date

'Bangladeshi girl invites me to her home': White privilege and the terrorising by foreign Youtubers

It’s yet another white Youtuber causing a stir in Bangladesh through deliberately putting themselves in situations and then misrepresenting the facts. The latest to hop on to this trend is a Youtuber from South Africa, who’s tapped into the hyper-trendy mix of misogyny and Bangladeshi social media users. 

Yashab Osama Rahman
27 March, 2024, 09:00 pm
Last modified: 28 March, 2024, 12:46 pm
Photo: A screenshot of the video posted by the Youtuber from South Africa.
Photo: A screenshot of the video posted by the Youtuber from South Africa.

And we are back here once again. 

It's yet another white Youtuber causing a stir in Bangladesh through deliberately putting themselves in situations and then misrepresenting the facts. 

The latest to hop on to this trend is a Youtuber from South Africa, who's tapped into the hyper-trendy mix of misogyny and Bangladeshi social media users. 

In one of his videos, posted a day ago, he titled it "Bangladeshi Girl invites me to her home". 

The Business Standard Google News Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel

In the video, the Youtuber can be seen getting on a launch for Tk10. 

Exploring the poverty left behind, largely due to centuries of colonisation, is one of the favourite pastimes of foreign Youtubers. 

During his "expedition", this modern day Indiana Jones encounters a young lady who speaks to him in English. Mind you, he constantly tries to speak in English with everyone around him. The expectation is, everyone should know. 

On the launch, the Bangladesh hospitality is present as ever. 

When he encounters a young girl who speaks English well, she converses with him. 

The girl's mother then extends the foreigner an invitation to visit their home. 

He declines and then asks his viewers whether he should have gone with them.

While putting up the pretence of being polite, he manages to reduce the hospitable girl, who even helped him catch a ride to his next destination of exploitation, to a mere adjective. "Beautiful girl" and "baddie", he refers to her. 

We could excuse him for his misunderstanding of the situation, but on social media, nothing is a mistake. There's also the fact that white men in their 40s often talk about going to Asia to "find a bride". "They'll do anything for a passport," they say. There's even a racist American TV show about it called "90-day fiance".

Soon after the Youtuber's post, his comment box was flooded with many others shaming the girl and her mother.  

But many stood up for them and called out the Youtuber, who used the same formula before in Venezuela, but could not generate the 2.8m views on Facebook amassed this time around.  

It's no secret that Youtubers from around the world descend on Bangladesh for the views the word "Bangladesh" in the title or description generates. 

To put it to the test, just look at the Youtube videos of MasterChef Australia with and without Kishwar. It's a sample, but a telling one –  the margins are obvious. 

We, as an audience, are highly active on social media. With 59.2 million Facebook users, who also hop on to other platforms like Youtube, it's no wonder we are a prized market. 

And this prized market is up for endless exploitation. 

Last April, Kalu Mia, 60, was detained by police earlier for harassing Australian travel blogger Luke Damant during his recent Dhaka visit. Damant had released a video of the incident where Kalu could be seen following him and incessantly asking for money. 

Kalu was later released after paying a Tk200 fine. Damant, to his credit, also asked that the police go easy on the elderly man. 

The incident showed that apart from foreign Youtubers' grabbing the attention of viewers, they also manage to quickly alert authorities. 

Red carpet receptions, which our people offer so gracefully, however, are now not only taken for granted, but some visitors even consider it their right. 

Back to the South African Youtuber. Another of his videos shows how he was "scammed" by a CNG-run autorickshaw driver. He wasn't scammed in reality: in the video you can clearly see the autorickshaw driver did agree to a fare of Tk300, which the Youtuber then suddenly decided to renege on at the end of the journey. 

Was he overcharged? Sure. And this is another favourite of caucasian Youtubers: going to tourist spots in Asia and pretending like everyone is trying to scam "the white man". It should be noted that some of the biggest tourist scammers are right there in Europe.

While ending Visas for such individuals isn't really an option, we must at least contribute and start a discourse on why such things ought to be stopped. 

Perhaps we can have our own racist little TV show such as Border Security or Customs UK, where Asian and African travellers are harassed at immigration to delight millions of American, Canadian and British viewers. 

Most importantly, we have to send out the reminder: the colonial period has ended and our country is not a poverty zoo for the consumption of the white gaze. 

At the same time, we must focus on the fact that Bangladesh has become a coveted brand on social media. Let's not let everyone steal our profits this time around as well.


Yashab Osama Rahman is the Head of Online at The Business Standard.


Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of The Business Standard.

Bangladesh / Top News

Foreign youtuber / Bangladesh / White privilege

Comments

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments.

Top Stories

  • BNP Standing Committee Member Mirza Abbas and other senior party leaders pay tributes at the grave of BNP founder and former president Ziaur Rahman at Chandrima Udyan in the capital’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar on 30 May 2025. Photo: BNP Media Cell
    Only Yunus doesn’t want polls, says Mirza Abbas slamming CA for 'slandering BNP'
  • The continuous heavy rain caused waterlogging on several roads in Dhaka. These photos were captured from Dhanmondi Hawkers Market area on  30 May 2025. Photo: Rajib Dhar/TBS
    In photos: Continuous rain for 2 days causes waterlogging across Dhaka
  • Photo: Collected
    Over 5,000 mobile towers down as depression-triggered storms disrupt telecom services

MOST VIEWED

  • Photo: Courtesy
    New notes featuring historic, archaeological structures of Bangladesh to be circulated from 1 June
  • Two Memoranda of Understanding were signed at the seminar titled “Bangladesh Seminar on Human Resources,” in Tokyo on 29 May 2025. Photo: CA Press Wing
    Japan to recruit 100,000 Bangladeshi workers over next 5 years
  • Representational Photo: Collected
    Country's all jewellery shops to remain indefinitely closed in protest of VP Reponul's arrest: Bajus
  • BAT Bangladesh has to vacate Mohakhali HQ as SC rejects lease appeal
    BAT Bangladesh has to vacate Mohakhali HQ as SC rejects lease appeal
  • Illustration: TBS
    Bangladesh repays $3.5b foreign debt in 10 months of FY25
  • Khondoker Rashed Maqsood. File Photo: Collected
    Investors urge removal of BSEC chairman in meeting with CA’s special assistant, submit list of demands

Related News

  • Bangladesh recalls ambassador from Myanmar
  • Meghna tidal surge floods over 100 villages as incessant daylong rain batters Lakshmipur
  • Sundarbans inundated by rain, tidal surge
  • Ziaur Rahman's 44th death anniversary today 
  • India for 'inclusive, fair, free' polls in Bangladesh at an early date

Features

Photo collage of the sailors and their catch. Photos: Shahid Sarkar

Between sky and sea: The thrilling life afloat on a fishing ship

2h | Features
For hundreds of small fishermen living near this delicate area, sustainable fishing is a necessity for their survival. Photo: Syed Zakir Hossain

World Ocean Day: Bangladesh’s ‘Silent Island’ provides a fisheries model for the future

19h | The Big Picture
The university will be OK. But will the US? Photo: Bloomberg

A weaker Harvard is a weaker America

19h | Panorama
The Botanical Garden is a refuge for plant species, both native and exotic. Photo: Mehedi Hasan/TBS

The hidden cost of 'development' in the Botanical Garden

19h | Panorama

More Videos from TBS

Record migrant deaths in 2024

Record migrant deaths in 2024

16h | Podcast
Govt likely to trim subsidies in new budget

Govt likely to trim subsidies in new budget

27m | TBS Insight
News of The Day, 29 MAY 2025

News of The Day, 29 MAY 2025

18h | TBS News of the day
Businesses set for relief as interim govt eyes major tax & fine cuts

Businesses set for relief as interim govt eyes major tax & fine cuts

21h | TBS Insight
EMAIL US
contact@tbsnews.net
FOLLOW US
WHATSAPP
+880 1847416158
The Business Standard
  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Sitemap
  • Advertisement
  • Privacy Policy
  • Comment Policy
Copyright © 2025
The Business Standard All rights reserved
Technical Partner: RSI Lab

Contact Us

The Business Standard

Main Office -4/A, Eskaton Garden, Dhaka- 1000

Phone: +8801847 416158 - 59

Send Opinion articles to - oped.tbs@gmail.com

For advertisement- sales@tbsnews.net