Bangladesh is set to establish its first domestic vaccine, antivenom and essential medicine production plant at the Chemical Industrial Park in Sirajdikhan, Munshiganj.
Health Adviser Dr. Nurjahan Begum announced the decision during a site visit on Saturday, August 16, explaining that Sirajdikhan was chosen over Gopalganj due to its superior transport connectivity and access to advanced technology and skilled personnel.
“Once vaccines are produced, they must be stored at low temperatures and distributed quickly across the country,” she said to the press. “Munshiganj offers better logistical support for nationwide distribution, making it the optimal location.”
Spanning nearly 40 acres, the Tk 3,124 crore project will be implemented by the state-owned Essential Drugs Company Limited (EDCL) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The facility is expected to become fully operational within the next three years, reports BSS.
Under the plan, EDCL’s existing vaccine unit in Gopalganj and its Manikganj plant will be relocated to the new site. The ongoing antivenom production project in Chattogram will also be shifted there.
By 2028, the plant is expected to begin producing six vaccines, expanding to 15 types by 2029, alongside critical medicines and lifesaving antivenoms. Officials project that the new facility will not only meet domestic demand but also create opportunities to export high-quality vaccines and drugs abroad.
Currently, state-run pharmaceutical units meet around 70% of the medicine demand in government hospitals. With this project, authorities aim to raise that share to near self-sufficiency.
“This historic project will ensure an uninterrupted supply of essential medicines and strengthen Bangladesh’s health sovereignty,” the adviser said, expressing hope that the facility would also become financially sustainable.
EDCL Managing Director, Md. Samad Mridha, along with senior government and local officials, accompanied the adviser during her site visit.