Wednesday, December 9, 2015, Agrahayan 25, 1422 BS, Safar 26, 1437 Hijri


Drug export to fetch $60b by 2021: Tofail
Staff Correspondent
Published :Wednesday, 9 December, 2015,  Time : 12:00 AM  View Count : 33
Bangladesh is advancing ahead of Pakistan in economic, social and many other sectors, says Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed.
Currently, the country's child and maternal mortality rates are lower than in India and Pakistan.
This achievement has been earned under the dynamic leadership of Bangabandhu's daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, he said.
The Commerce Minister said once Bangladesh was branded a bottomless basket but under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina the country has become self sufficient in food production for its 160 million people.
Tofail told this at a convocation of 'Post Graduation Programme on Pediatric Nutrition' organised by Nestle Nutrition Institute with the support of  Boston University in the city on Tuesday.
He said, "Bangladesh's export earnings has reached US$32 billion and as an LDC we have lobbied to extend our pharmaceutical export and manufacturing for another 17 years under the WTO TRIPs agreement."
"Some 97 per cent of our domestic demand is met by local production and among the LDCs only we have been able to create a strong baseline in manufacturing drugs and exporting it to over 107 countries," he added.
The Minister said some miscreants are trying to create security concern in the country and also to brand the country as a failed state.
He said the unscrupulous people will not be able to succeed in their nefarious design as the government has taken adequate steps to protect the country.
He hoped if the development continues at the present rate, within the fiftieth-year of the Independence of the country it will earn over $60 billion from export.
Principal of Holy Family Red Crescent Medical College and Hospital Prof Moniruzzaman Bhuiyan presided over the convocation while, among others, Prof Dr Syed Modasser Ali, former health and family welfare advisor to the Prime Minister and BSMMU VC Prof Dr Md Sharfuddin Ahmed attended the programme.







Editor : Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury
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