Academics, experts, and industry leaders at a discussion on Wednesday called on the government to take immediate steps to strengthen Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient production to ensure Bangladesh鈥檚 future medicine security.
The event, organised by the Alliance for Health Reforms Bangladesh, was held at the Bangladesh Medical University Super Specialised Hospital auditorium at Shahbagh in Dhaka.
Speakers warned that after Bangladesh graduates from the Least Developed Country category in 2026, the pharmaceutical sector will face tough global competition.
Dhaka University health economics professor and AHRB convener Syed Abdul Hamid said that post-graduation patent royalties would significantly increase medicine prices.
Health Sector Reform Commission member Professor Syed Akram Hussain cautioned that heavy dependence on imported APIs leaves the industry vulnerable, as exporting countries could halt supplies at any time.
To address this, the government approved the API Industrial Park in Gazaria of Munshiganj in 2008 to ensure a stable supply of raw materials. However, the park remains far from fully operational.
Industry representatives said that bureaucratic delays and poor infrastructure continued to stall progress.
Bangladesh Association of Pharmaceutical Industries president Abdul Muktadir said that investors still lacked reliable power and gas at the park, while the department of narcotics control was delaying clearance of essential solvents.
Speakers noted that Bangladesh imported about 85 per cent of its pharmaceutical raw materials.
BAPI treasurer Md Halimuzzaman said that investors had to secure 47 separate clearances before beginning production, leading to long delays and unnecessary sufferings.
The Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation built the 200-acre park for 27 companies, but only four have started test runs鈥攁nd none can begin commercial production due to the absence of gas supply.
BAPI secretary general Md Zakir Hossain said that companies were being forced to rely on costlier alternative energy sources.
Although the country has 257 pharmaceutical companies, only five currently produce APIs. Speakers called for stronger university鈥搃ndustry collaboration to advance research, innovation, and development in the sector, stressing that investment in research was vital for medicine security and export competitiveness in the post-LDC era.
