Bangladesh is set to draw up a national strategy to transform its pharmaceutical industry into a high-value biopharmaceutical sector, with the government targeting self-reliance in biosimilars and vaccines and the creation of nearly 10,000 skilled jobs.
State Minister for Health Dr MA Muhit said the strategy would help take the country’s pharmaceutical sector beyond generic medicines and position it as a key driver of a knowledge-based bio-economy.
“We need to transform the sector into an advanced industry involving biosimilars, vaccines and biotechnology. It should not be viewed only from the perspective of healthcare; rather, it should be seen as a major force for the national economy,” he said.
He made the remarks as the chief guest at a roundtable titled “From Generics to Biosimilars and Vaccines: Developing Bangladesh’s Biopharmaceutical Sector towards a Bio-Economy” at Hotel Westin in Dhaka on Sunday.
The event was organised by Bioteide Somru Bioscience, with Genex as the partner.
Dr Muhit said the government was committed to providing policy support to develop the sector and create high-quality employment opportunities.
He said Bangladesh needed to build basic infrastructure for biopharmaceutical and vaccine research within the next three to five years while maintaining international quality standards.
“The new transformation will require nearly 10,000 trained and skilled human resources,” he said, adding that the government was focusing on science and research-based high-end employment rather than only conventional jobs.
The state minister said the government would support the development of Contract Research Organisations (CROs) and strengthen domestic research capabilities in biosimilars.
He also announced plans to establish “shared facilities” or central laboratory facilities for entrepreneurs and researchers.
Highlighting opportunities for young scientists, Dr Muhit said steps had been taken to strengthen research institutions through the health sector budget, establish molecular biology laboratories and expand competitive research funding through the Ministry of Science and Technology.
Urging stakeholders to work together to finalise a comprehensive national strategy quickly, he said coordinated efforts between the government and private sector could help Bangladesh secure a strong position in the global biopharmaceutical market.
The roundtable was also addressed by icddr,b Executive Director Dr Tahmid Ahmed, Bioteide Chief Executive Saugatul Islam, BMRC Director Dr Kazi Saifuddin Bennur, DGDA Director Naim Goldar, Genex Health Managing Director Dr Munia Amin, Sadaf Saj, Unimed UniHealth Managing Director Mosaddeq Hossain and Jahangirnagar University Treasurer Professor Sohel Rana, among others.
