Tag Archives: Asia

MNA Business Desk: Telenor Group and Axiata Group Bhd have mutually agreed to end discussions to merge their Asia operations to gain a bigger foothold in the region’s mobile phone market with potentially 300 million customers across nine countries. Announcing the development in a statement on Friday, Telenor said the proposed deal collapsed after four months of talks ‘due to some complexities’ without shedding any further light on the matter, reports bdnews24.com. In the proposed non-cash merger, Telenor’s stake was expected to be 56.5 per cent and Axiata’s 43.5 per cent. Both companies operate in Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar, Bangladesh and ...

MNA National Desk: Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday put forward five ideas to make a better Asia and said Bangladesh wants to resolve the Rohingya crisis through dialogues which is a lesson for the world to overcome chaos in a peaceful manner. The prime minster proposed the ideas while delivering a keynote speech at the Nikkei Inc’s International Conference titled “The Future of Asia” at a hotel here, reports BSS. The theme of the conference is “Seeking a New Global order – Overcoming the Chaos.” Malaysian Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Bin Mohamad, Cambodian Premier Hun Sen and Philippines ...

MNA Business Desk: The banking sector in Bangladesh has been plagued by financial scams, non-performing loans and weak monitoring problems, which might cause a macroeconomic risk in the near term, says a UN report. The report says, robust growth has been supported by domestic demand, especially large infrastructure projects and new initiatives in the energy sector, reported news agency. Remittance flows have also started to increase with the increase in global oil prices, according to the Economic and Social Survey of Asia and the Pacific 2018. Mobilising financing for development remains a fundamental priority in the Asia-Pacific region, said the ...

MNA Lifestyle Desk: Religion is not really a choice rather an elemental part of growing up in any South Asian family. Transmission of prayers and rituals occur impeccably through demonstrations of devout parents and elders. Explanations are rarely offered, and questions are addressed with little more than, “that’s just the way it is.” It is likely to spark thoughts about the connection between religion and child rearing for today’s South Asian parent. A generation or two ago, it was basically unheard of for parents to consider when or whether they should introduce their child to God, but now these questions ...

MNA Culture & Entertainment Desk: Harry Potter magic smashes Asia for the final time on Sunday morning, as aspiring witches and wizards crowded into bookstores to get their hands on the first copies of a new play that imagines the hero as an adult. Launch parties for “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” were held hours after the play’s premiere in London, setting the stage for a return of the series that has captivated readers and movie spectators worldwide. Nearly 300 fans hurried through the doors of Kinokuniya bookstore on Singapore’s Orchard Road at 7:01 am to become one of ...

MNA Business Desk: Bangladesh and India have merged South Asia’s busiest land check-post at Benapole-Petrapole for easing the movement of general public and goods. Prime Ministers Sheikh Hasina and Narendra Modi unlocked the new ‘Petrapole Integrated Check Post’ (ICP) through a video call on Thursday. Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee linked them from Kolkata. Narendra Modi said on Thursday, India’s progress is linked to that of all its neighbors, as he along with his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina inaugurated Petrapole-Benapole land port which will serve as a key trade route. This is the second ICP on the India-Bangladesh ...

MNA National Desk: World leaders, at the 11th Asia–Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit at Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia, expressed their eagerness to support Hasina government in any situation as news agencies reported. Prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday said that her government would take help from Russia, if necessary, in fighting extremism and militancy. Hasina said this when Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev held two-sided talks with her on the sidelines of the ASEM Summit here. Medvedev offered to stay beside Bangladesh at its dangerous time if there is any terrorist attack. Foreign secretary M. Shahidul Haque said, numerous topics on bilateral ...