Staff Reporter :
The High Court on Tuesday asked the concerned authorities including Director General of Directorate of Health, Secretary of Health and Directorate General of Drug Administration to take necessary action to remove expired medicines from pharmacy shelves across the country and destroy those within 30 days.
The HC Bench of Justice FRM Nazmul Ahasan and Justice KM Kamrul Kader passed the order following a writ petition.
The court also asked the relevant authorities to take action against those involved in preserving and selling expired medicines and submit a progress report in this regard.
On June 10, Manjur Mohammad Shahrier, Director General of Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protections (DNCRP), said, 93 percent pharmacies in the capital keep date-expired drugs. The report was published in different newspapers the following day.
Supreme Court lawyer Mahfuzur Rahman Milon, on behalf of Justice Watch Foundation, filed a writ petition with the High Court after attaching the reports published in national dailies on June 17.
Barrister ABM Altaf Hossain stood for the writ petitioner while Deputy Attorney General ABM Abdullah Al Mahmud Bashar represented the state.
The HC also issued a rule asking the government to explain as to why the ineffectiveness of the defendant should not be declared illegal.
Secretaries to the Home Ministry, Health and Family Welfare Ministry, Law Ministry, Commerce Ministry, Industries Ministry, Director General of Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), Director General of Directorate General of Drug Administration (DGDA) and Director General of Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protections (DNCRP), its Deputy Director, IGP, President of Bangladesh Association of Pharmaceutical Industries (BAPI) and its General Secretary have been made respondents to the rule.
Mahfuzur Rahman Milon, the SC lawyer, said that the HC also asked the Health Secretary, Director General of DGHS, Director General of DGDA, Director General of DNCRP, to form separate probe bodies for identifying those involved in selling, preserving and supplying expired medicines and submit a progressive report to the court.
Besides, the court asked the DNCRP Director General and its Deputy General to submit a report about the comment of its Deputy Director Manjur Mohammad Shahrier, said Milon.
