Head of Drug and Health Products Regulation Meets Officials of Bangladesh Pharmaceutical Industry Association

The Director General of Drug and Health Products Regulation of the Food and Drug Deputy Ministry, Ministry of Public Health of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, His Excellency Hafiz Dr. Naeemullah Ayubi, during his official visit to the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, met and held talks on Thursday, 3rd of Sha'ban 1447 AH, with Dr. Mohammad Zakir Hossain, Secretary General of the Bangladesh Pharmaceutical Industry Association, along with his accompanying delegation.

The meeting, which was attended by members of the Afghan delegation, focused on important issues related to pharmaceutical production, regulation, trade, and investment. During the discussions, emphasis was placed on ensuring that pharmaceutical trade is conducted in a legal, well-organized, and transparent manner, and that the registration and evaluation processes of pharmaceutical products are accelerated and carried out in accordance with established standards.

The Afghan delegation proposed that, in the future, the prices of medicines exported to Afghanistan should be printed on labels in Afghanis, as this would be beneficial for both exporters and Afghan consumers. It was also stressed that medicines with a short remaining shelf life or near expiration dates should not be exported to Afghanistan.

Furthermore, in order to address traders’ challenges, the Afghan delegation suggested the provision of banking facilities between the two countries and encouraged members of the Bangladesh Pharmaceutical Industry Association to visit Afghanistan and invest in the country’s pharmaceutical sector.

On the other hand, officials of the Bangladesh Pharmaceutical Industry Association pledged to export high-quality medicines to Afghanistan at reasonable and affordable prices. They also emphasized the need to initiate cargo flights between Kabul and Dhaka to facilitate faster and more efficient transportation of medicines and other goods.

At the conclusion of the meeting, both sides emphasized the expansion of joint cooperation in the health sector, ensuring the quality of medicines, and creating investment opportunities, considering the meeting an important step toward strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries.