The move came in view of the vast potential of the sector, which has already started contributing to the export earning, sources at the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) said.

EPB holds a meeting in Dhaka today to discuss the potential of the sector and form the council comprising both government and private sector representatives.

"At the meeting, we'll identify potential manufacturers of herbal medicines and growers of herbal plants," EPB Director Towfique Khan Majles told The Daily Star yesterday.

The meeting will be attended by government officials, academics and representatives of trade bodies related to the sector. They will also discuss the draft of a memorandum of articles for the proposed promotion council.

EPB Director General Mostofa Mohiuddin will preside over the meeting, which will also select different government and association offices to enlist them as members of the council.

Majles said some manufacturers are already exporting herbal medicines. "Potential of herbal medicines is growing rapidly. At present, the global market size of herbal medicine is $62 billion," he added.

He said the climate of Bangladesh is favourable to the production of herbal and medicinal plants.

EPB has already circulated the names of some exportable herbal plants and medicines through its website -- www.epbbd.com/exportableproducts/herbalproducts.htm.

"This will help importers get required information on the exportable items available in Bangladesh as it contains a list of 136 homeopathic medicines, 52 unani and 52 ayurvedic medicines and 48 herbal plants," the EPB official said.

Representatives from Bangladesh Unani and Ayurvedic Board, Bangladesh Homeopathic Board, Bangladesh Homeopathic Unani Ayurvedic Federation, Bangladesh Ayurved Parishad, Bangladesh Homeopathic Medicine Manufacturers Association, Bangladesh Unani Oushudh Shilpa Samity, Bangladesh Nim Foundation House, Bangladesh Homeopathic Medical Association, Bangladesh Unani Ayurvedic Development Society and Bangladesh Unani Ayurvedic Federation will attend the meeting.

According to EPB, the potential herbal plants are ginger, mudar, zingiber, emblic, arjuna, winter cherry, bengale quince and belerica myrobalan.

The names of potential homeopathic medicines are abroma agusta, abroma rad, amloki atista ind, azadirachta indica, aoska jonesia and arjuna.

Potential unani medicines are khamira abreshm arshadi, khamira gauzaban ambari jawwhirdar, jawarish jalinoos, dawaul misk mutadil jawahirdar, majun falasefa and majun lana.

The ayurvedic medicines include jamani arka, jatamangsi arka, dasanga kwath, nimbadi kwath, arjunarist and amritarist.