2024-02-13 14:20:45
Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. Samant Lal Sen said that in the first six months (July to December, 2023) of the current financial year (2023-2024), medicines worth Tk 5,900,54,56,903 have been exported.
He gave this information in response to a written question by Awami League member of Parliament Anwar Hossain Khan in the session of the Jatiya Sangsad on Tuesday (February 13). Speaker Dr. Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury presided over the parliamentary session.
The health minister said that almost all types of medicines produced in Bangladesh are exported to 157 countries including Europe and America. Till December of the current financial year (2023-2024), drugs worth 5 thousand 900 crores 54 lakhs 56 thousand 903 rupees have been exported. Countries where medicines are exported are – Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Iran, Jordan, Japan, Korea, Mongolia, Myanmar, Malaysia, Macao, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Yemen, Taiwan, Maldives, United Arab Emirates, Palestine, Lebanon, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Gulf Countries (GCC), Turkmenistan Kazakhstan, Bahrain, Brunei Darussalam, Norway , Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, Serbia, United Kingdom, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia , Ireland, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Bosnia, Finland, Transnistria, Georgia, Cyprus Kosovo, Trinidad and Tobago, San Marino, Australia, Fiji, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Palau Algeria, Burkina Faso, Botswana, Chad, Egypt, Gabon, Kenya , Libya, Liberia Lesotho, Mauritius, Nigeria, Malawi, Mali, Senegal, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Tunisia, Togo, Uganda, Simburane Ritria, Jamaica, Laos Mauritania, Congo, Somaliland, Zambia, Angola, US United States, Canada, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Barbados, Haiti, Argentina, Belize, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile, Ecuador, Guatemala, Guyana, Morocco, Montenegro, Nicaragua, Panama, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Venezuela, Vanuatu, Peru , Suriname, Curacao, Paraguay and Uruguay.
In response to a question from Independent Member of Parliament Muhammad Saiful Islam, the minister said that incentives are being given by the government to encourage the export of drugs produced in the country. 10 percent incentive is being given this year as well. Bangladesh is making continuous progress in the pharmaceutical industry. 98 percent of the country’s total demand for medicines is produced in the country.
The health minister said that from January 2024, a circular has been issued that government incentives will be given at the rate of 10 percent for the export of drugs produced in the country and at the rate of 8 percent for the export of pharmaceutical products. In the past year, government incentives have been given at the rate of 20 percent for the export of domestically produced drugs and 10 percent for the export of pharmaceutical products.