Staff Reporter :
The construction work of the Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) Technology Park project has not yet been completed due to the indifference of the implementing agency.
Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries (BSCIC), the implementation agency of the project, achieved a little progress despite getting the construction time extended thrice, according to drug
manufacturers. “The API Park was supposed to be completed by 2012,” Abdul Muktadir, Secretary General of Bangladesh Association of Pharmaceutical Industries (BAPI) told The New Nation on Thursday.
He said, now we import under duress whole range of raw materials. Once the API Park will be ready for operation, the local medicine manufacturers will be able to produce raw materials here.
Frustrated by the snail pace of the implementation progress, he said, seven years has already elapsed since the project was taken up by the government. For now, BSCIC only did the earth filling and constructed boundary wall at the project site.
“But no progress is visible in setting up the Central Efferent Treatment Plant (CETP), dumping yard and incinerator,” he said. “Besides, other infrastructures like road, drain, electricity and gas lines are yet to be set up at the project”.
The National Economic Council (ECNEC) in 2008 approved the project with an estimated cost of Tk 313.86 crore.
When such a scenario prevails, the BSCIC has requested one more year to finish the job, officials said.
“It will take one more year to complete the project,” Abdul Baset, Project Director of the API Park, told The New Nation on Thursday.
He said, we have already appointed contractor for the project. The project cost would remain unchanged despite delay in its implementation.
Baset, however, said that despite delay in project implementation, the authorities have decided to allocate plots among the pharma manufacturers in one month time.
“A policy has already been formulated in this regard. The plots would be distributed through the BAPI,” he added.
He further said there was a directive from the PMO that plots should be distributed by this month. But we are taking time due to some procedural problems.
“We will prepare 42 plots for the companies at the park,” he said. The country’s pharmaceutical exports rose 15.65 per cent year-on-year to Tk 553.3 crore in fiscal 2013-14, riding on growing global demand, high quality products and competitive prices.
Demand for Bangladeshi pharma products is growing in Asia, Africa and European markets as manufacturers follow international standards that ensure better quality.
Bangladeshi medicine makers meet 98 per cent of domestic demand and export to 88 counties. The country exported 30 pharmaceutical items in fiscal 2013-14.
The construction work of the Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) Technology Park project has not yet been completed due to the indifference of the implementing agency.
Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries (BSCIC), the implementation agency of the project, achieved a little progress despite getting the construction time extended thrice, according to drug
manufacturers. “The API Park was supposed to be completed by 2012,” Abdul Muktadir, Secretary General of Bangladesh Association of Pharmaceutical Industries (BAPI) told The New Nation on Thursday.
He said, now we import under duress whole range of raw materials. Once the API Park will be ready for operation, the local medicine manufacturers will be able to produce raw materials here.
Frustrated by the snail pace of the implementation progress, he said, seven years has already elapsed since the project was taken up by the government. For now, BSCIC only did the earth filling and constructed boundary wall at the project site.
“But no progress is visible in setting up the Central Efferent Treatment Plant (CETP), dumping yard and incinerator,” he said. “Besides, other infrastructures like road, drain, electricity and gas lines are yet to be set up at the project”.
The National Economic Council (ECNEC) in 2008 approved the project with an estimated cost of Tk 313.86 crore.
When such a scenario prevails, the BSCIC has requested one more year to finish the job, officials said.
“It will take one more year to complete the project,” Abdul Baset, Project Director of the API Park, told The New Nation on Thursday.
He said, we have already appointed contractor for the project. The project cost would remain unchanged despite delay in its implementation.
Baset, however, said that despite delay in project implementation, the authorities have decided to allocate plots among the pharma manufacturers in one month time.
“A policy has already been formulated in this regard. The plots would be distributed through the BAPI,” he added.
He further said there was a directive from the PMO that plots should be distributed by this month. But we are taking time due to some procedural problems.
“We will prepare 42 plots for the companies at the park,” he said. The country’s pharmaceutical exports rose 15.65 per cent year-on-year to Tk 553.3 crore in fiscal 2013-14, riding on growing global demand, high quality products and competitive prices.
Demand for Bangladeshi pharma products is growing in Asia, Africa and European markets as manufacturers follow international standards that ensure better quality.
Bangladeshi medicine makers meet 98 per cent of domestic demand and export to 88 counties. The country exported 30 pharmaceutical items in fiscal 2013-14.
