Launching the drug policy, Health Minister Dr Khandaker Mosharaf Hossain said, "The first ever National Drug Policy was approved in the cabinet meeting very recently and a copy was handed over to the prime minister."

Highlighting some salient features of the policy, the minister said, "We are not going to encourage random import of any drug, except for selected life-saving medicines and new research products which are only prescribed extensively in a few industrialised nations such as Switzerland, the UK, the USA, France and Australia."

The pharmaceuticals industry of the country meets 96 percent of local demands and the government is encouraging technology transfer in this sector in order to reduce dependence on import of four percent of drugs, said the minister at a press conference.

Turning to the topic of 'alternative medicine', he said, "Apart from widespread use of allopathic drugs, we have opened windows of opportunities for quality drug production in homeopathic, unani and ayurvedic sectors. In view of this, we have proposed establishment of a separate central laboratory for quality control under the drug administration."

The policy proposed upgrading the drug administration to a full-fledged directorate under which manpower, modern facilities and laboratory support for routine inspections to check quality of drugs would be strengthened.

The policy, which is considered to be an amended form of Drugs Control Ordinance 1982, also proposed reviewing of the existing list of the essential drugs.

It calls for harsher disciplinary action against those manufacturing adulterated drugs and violating rules of good manufacturing practice (GMP) in pharmaceutical plants.

The policy, which came into effect since the date of gazette notification on May 5 this year, also encourages collaboration between universities, research institutes and manufacturers for undertaking basic and applied research in medicine, pharmacy, biotechnology, genetic engineering and biomedical sciences.

The minister said the country exported drugs worth Tk 32 crore to 17 nations in 2001. The figure went up to Tk 541 crore in 2005 and the number of importing countries is likely to cross 62.

Health Secretary AFM Sarwar Kamal, Additional Director General of Drug Administration Prof Habibur Rahman, Advisor to Bangladesh Aushad Shilpa Samity Samson H Chowdhury, who is also the chairman of Square Group, Director General of Health Services Prof Abdur Rahman Khan, President of Bangladesh Pharmaceutical Society Md Nasser Shahrear Zahedee, who is also the managing director of Roche Bangladesh, were present at the press conference held at the conference room of the health ministry.