Dhaka-A writ petition was filed with the High Court seeking its directives upon the government to cancel licenses of 20 drug manufacturing companies for producing substandard medicines.The 20 pharmaceuticals companies are: Aexim Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Avert Pharma Ltd of Savar, Bikolpo Pharmaceuticals Ltd of Mirpur, Dolphin Pharmaceuticals Ltd of North Jatrabari, Drugland Ltd, Globe Laboratories (Pvt.) Ltd, Jalfa Laboratories Ltd of Sylhet, Kafma Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Medico Pharmaceuticals Ltd, National Drug Pharma Ltd, North Bengal Laboratories of Naogaon, Remo Chemicals of Tejgaon (Pharma Division), Rid Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Skylab Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Spark Pharmaceuticals Ltd of Mymensingh, Star Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Sunipun Pharmaceuticals Ltd of Savar, Today Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Tropical Pharmaceuticals Ltd and Universal Pharmaceuticals Ltd of Pabna.
A HC bench led by Justice Syed Muhammad Dastagir Husain is likely to hear on the petition today (Monday), Advocate Manzill Mushid, counsel for the petitioner, told The Independent.
The Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB), a human rights body, filed the petition with the related branch of the HC yesterday morning saying that the licences of these drug companies should be cancelled as they have failed to produce standard medicines.
The right to life of citizens has been violated due to manufacturing of substandard medicines, the petition said.
After filing the petition, the petitioner’s counsel Manzill Murshid told that a committee of medicine experts gave recommendation to the parliament in January this year to cancel the licences of these 20 companies for the same reason.
The petitioner also prayed to the HC to direct the government to stop production of antibiotics by 14 other drug companies.
Earlier, on April 21, health and family welfare ministry decided to revoke licenses of the 20 drug manufacturing companies for producing substandard medicines.
The decision followed recommendations of the parliamentary standing committee on health and family welfare ministry, ministry officials said.
The health minister Mohammed Nasim ordered the drug administration officials to take immediate actions to cancel their licences.
According to the health ministry officials, the in a meeting with drug companies and drug officials the health ministry also decided to implement the other suggestions of the standing committee, such as, prohibiting 14 companies from manufacturing all kinds of antibiotics, 22 companies from producing antibiotics of penicillin and cephalosporin groups and restricting.-STAFF REPORTER
