Asia Plantation’s Asanka to launch TV channel

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Published: 2026-07-14 16:29:09 | Added: 2026-07-14 16:31:07 | 6 views

A subsidiary of Asia International Consolidated is said to have attempted to enter the media field via a satellite TV Channel.

Asia International Consolidated owns the well known plantation company Asia Plantation & Export (Pvt.) Ltd. operating in Horana, with Deshamanya Dr. Asanka Dissanayake functioning as their Chairman and Managing Director.

This marks yet another instance where plantation companies later revealed as pyramid schemers are attempting to venture into the media sector by establishing TV channels.

The company in question has attempted to function the PEO TV channel – “AKSHARAYA TV”, as “Asia TV”. The AKSHARAYA TV Channel was previously operated by Pragathi Dakshatra from the Malabe area.

However, their plans for ‘Asia TV’ have stalled after the Ministry of Media had decided not to grant approval for the channel, reports say.

Upon inquiring from the Ministry in this regard, ‘Sri Lanka Mirror’ learns that the approval was denied after Defence authorities had denied to grant the necessary security clearance.

New project also denied approval

After the security clearance denial, it is reported that Dissanayake had attempted to seek the Media Ministry approval again after starting a fresh company called Asia Cinema Academy (Pvt.) Ltd. The project was in collaboration with Charith Abeysinghe, who is currently in remand custody on the suspicion of soliciting bribes from the well known underworld figure – ‘Harak Kata’.

Approval for this too, has reportedly been rejected.

Dissanayake had started his career as an insurance agent at Ceylinco Life and later worked as an insurance agent at Union Assurance before becoming a plantation investment promoter in institutions such as Sadaharitha Plantation, Ceylon Evergreen Plantation, Power Hands Plantation and Alaka Mandawa Plantation, which were later deemed as giants in pyramid plantation investments in the country.

Such operations have been deemed illegal by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL).

Meanwhile, it is also learnt that the CBSL has initiated an investigation on ‘Asia Plantation’ as well.