Readers’ Voice

Ensure reasonable price
of medicine

The Ershad government enacted Drug Ordinance 1982 that was recommended by a committee headed by the then National Professor Doctor Nurul Islam. The Ordinance made retail price approval for each medicine from Drug Administration mandatory before marketing. Patients could buy medicine at reasonable price then. In ninety’s decade a Paracetamol table of 500 mg was available @ Tk0.10 that costs now Tk 0.75. That is, it price is 750pc higher now. Democratic Khalada government amended the Drug Ordinance made price fixation free from Drug Administration except 120 essential drugs. Prices of all medicines other than those 120 were increasing. After two decades democratic AL government made price approval mandatory for 420 drugs from Drug Administration.
It maybe mentioned that more than 6,000 drugs have been producing and importing in Bangladesh now. Most of pharmaceutical companies have reduced production of medicines which require prices approval from Drug Administration as profits of those are reasonable. Pharmaceutical companies are not happy with reasonable profits. They desire high profits. As a result, patients are bound to buy medicines at very high prices. In a seminar in Dhaka during November 2021 a survey report was presented where it mentioned that 68pc cost was involved for medicines against medical treatment.
In this scenario, a drastic change is necessary for fixing prices. Retail prices of each medicine, produced in the country or imported from abroad must take approval from government Drug Administration to ensure reasonable price of medicine and protect rational right of all stakeholders involved.

Md Ashraf Hossain
Bashabo, Dhaka

Encourage
entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurs are essential for economic development. This is why they have usually been considered as valuable assets for the economies of countries. However, Acomprehensive cycle revolves around producing successful entrepreneurs who can earn more money, create more jobs, improve financial conditions inside a country, and eventually stabilize the global economic situation.
Entrepreneurs can generate new business opportunities. More businesses mean more job opportunities. Successful entrepreneurs that deal with products and services require a workforce to effectively handle their operations. Furthermore, if a business is successful, more entrepreneurs are likely to plan to create new products and services in the same industry, paving the way for increased economic development.

Kamruzzaman Hasib
North South University