DHAKA: Speakers at a seminar Friday said domestic production of medicines meets 97 percent demand of the country and only three percent is met with the imports of specific brands.

“The pharmaceutical sector is becoming potential day by day and it is also becoming our national asset,” said Dr Jawaid Yahya, secretary of Bangladesh Society for Pharmaceutical Professionals.

Bangladesh Society for Pharmaceutical Professionals (BSPP) organized the seminar and annual general meeting at the University of Dhaka with its acting president Dr Istiaq Mahmud in the chair.

The speakers also said combined effort of the government and professionals would make the sector a world-class and highly competitive one in the international arena.

Professor AAMS Arefin Siddique, Vice-chancellor of the University, as chief guest addressed the seminar. He said, “I appreciate the contribution of pharmaceutical professionals to make the country self-reliant in the medicine sector.”

Dr Jawaid Yahya read out the keynote titled ‘Opportunities and Challenges for Pharmaceutical Sector of Bangladesh in Context to the WTO Agreement.’

He informed the meet that a total of 246 companies of different countries are connected with them. “Now Bangladesh is exporting medicines to 74 countries and the country earned Tk 333 crore last year.”

Dr Abu Jafar Mahmood, the founder of Biology and Chemical Society, and Md Anisul Islam, founder-managing director of Essential Drugs Company Ltd, among others, attended the programme.

BDST: 1851 Hrs, June 25,2010.
AAD/MMA/MUA