Pharmaceutical industries able to export medicine to 72 countries: PM for updating laws to remove barriers The Prime Minister said it is a matter of pride that world-class medicines produced in Bangladesh are exported to 72 countries Thursday June 11 2009 14:27:08 PM BDT Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina asked for updating country's existing laws governing the pharmaceutical industry to fully utilise the export prospects for Bangladesh-produced medicines on the global market, as the industrialists hope for the highest forex earning through this sector in future.(UNB) At the same time, she said the government would take necessary action to prevent the marketing of fake and adulterated medicines on the local market. The Prime Minister made the remarks when the Board of Directors of Bangladesh Association of Pharmaceutical Industries (BAPI) led by its president Salman F Rahman and secretary-general Abdul Muktadir called on her at the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) Wednesday. At the meet, the BAPI donated Tk 50 lakh by cheque and medicines worth Tk 1 crore to the Prime Minister's relief fund for the succour of the victims of cyclonic storm Aila that recently hit the country's coastal districts. The Prime Minister said it is a matter of pride that world-class medicines produced in Bangladesh are exported to 72 countries of the world. "But, at the same time, you have to keep it in mind that local market is the priority sector as it has to be ensured that common people get all necessary medicines with standard quality and at cheap rate," she told the country's medicine-business magnets. Reports have it that there are lots of substandard medicines at local markets. Also, prices of many brands of medicines are not affordable for the poorer sections of people. Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhit, Health Minister Dr AFM Ruhul Haque, Adviser to the Prime Minister Dr Syed Mudasser Ali, Foreign Minister Dr. Dipu Moni, Secretary of the Prime Minister's office Mollah Waheeduzzaman, Prime Minister's Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad and Health Secretary Sheikh Altaf Ali were present on the occasion. Nazmul Hassan MP, Adviser for the Bangladesh Association of Pharmaceutical Industries, through a power-point presentation informed the Prime Minister about the prospects and problems of the industry. Nazmul said so far the country's pharmaceutical industries have been able to export drugs to 72 countries around the globe after fulfilling some 97 percent of the total local demand for medicines. "If the government can remove some legal barriers to exporting the medicines, within next three years we are going to be the largest foreign-exchange-earning sector of Bangladesh," he said. The lawmaker in his presentation put forward several demands for the sake of smooth and sustainable flourishing of the pharmaceutical sector. The demands include modernizing the Drug Administration, setting up Independent Drug Testing Laboratory, Clinical Testing Bioequivalence Centre, Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) Industrial Park, allowing the industries to spend sufficient amount of money in operating office abroad in line with the rules of foreign markets, changing Bangladesh Bank's limit to spending necessary finance over registration cost and sending product samples abroad. As for example, Nazmul said that according to Bangladesh Bank's rule, a pharmaceutical industry in Bangladesh annually can spend maximum US$ 30,000 for operating office abroad whereas only in Russia or Singapore a company needs approximately US$ 25,000 per month for setting up office and giving salaries of the employees. Besides, a pharmaceutical industry has to send US$ 22,000 as the fee for only product registration in some countries and the fee has to be renewed every five years. On the other hand, only as bioequivalence-test charge, a company needs to send US$ 50,000-100,000. "Under the present rule of Bangladesh Bank, we don't know how it can be possible to send such an amount of money," Nazmul said. The Prime Minister gave a patient hearing to the problems in the pharmaceutical industries and assured them of providing all cooperation for the development of the sector. The Health Adviser to the Prime Minister, Syed Mudasser Ali, said the government has already started thinking about setting up a Food and Drug Testing Authority equipped with every necessary infrastructure and skilled manpower in line with international standards. ------------- Photo Caption :Health Minister Dr AFM Ruhul Haq unveiling plaque of the foundation stone of Physiotherapy College at Mohakhali on Wednesday. Adviser to the Prime Minister Dr Syed Mudassir Ali was present. Banglar Chokh --M M Chowdhury (Mithu) |
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