Bangladesh Making Its Own Medicine Ingredients: A Brighter Future for Health and Money

When I look at Bangladesh's medicine industry today, I feel so proud. Our small country now
sends medicines to 157 other countries around the world. We've made enough for our own
people and also become strong players in the global market. But there's a big secret behind this
success: we still rely on other countries for the main parts of our medicines.

Almost 95% of the basic stuff for our medicines, called Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients
(APIs), still comes from outside Bangladesh. We also get excipients from abroad. These are
things that give medicines their right shape, make them last longer, help them stick together, or
break apart. We spend over $1 billion every year on these two things. If the price of these raw
materials goes up or if there's any problem with getting them, it can seriously affect
our entire medicine making process.

When COVID-19 stopped the world in 2020, we saw how easily global supply chains could
break down. Many countries closed their borders, and medicine ingredients got stuck. That
moment really showed us how risky and shaky it is to depend on others. Many countries then
started focusing on making their own medicines and raw materials. This experience made us
ask an important question: Do we want our people's health to depend on other countries'
decisions? If we can make our own APIs and excipients, we can be sure to have medicines
even in emergencies.

Every challenge hides a big chance. The world market for APIs is now over $200 billion, and for
excipients, it's about $8 billion. Both of these markets are growing fast. This is our chance. If we
can make these raw materials ourselves, we won't just save foreign money. We can also make
high-quality APIs and excipients and sell them to other countries, which will boost our foreign
money savings. This could become a new strong force for our economy.

As this industry grows, a new age of technology will begin. Making APIs and excipients relies on
very modern technology and research. As it grows, new technology will come to Bangladesh,
research will expand, and it will help us build an economy based on knowledge. Our young
people, with their good education, can help a lot in this industry. This will also make our
medicine industry's supply chain stronger and more stable. Plus, it will help our industry rely
less on making clothes and move towards making other valuable products.

I'm happy that the government has already started building API industrial parks. These parks will
create a great chance for local and foreign investors. They can make APIs and also excipients
there. This is a good step. But to make this dream real, we need some more brave actions.

Long-term government support will create a stable environment for this industry to grow. Also,
giving tax breaks for a certain time (20 years or more) can be a huge encouragement for
investors. Besides that, it's important to make sure this industry gets bank loans at low interest
rates, because it's often hard to make big investments with high interest rates. If they get this
kind of policy support, local and foreign businesses will be more interested in making APIs and
excipients. Fast licensing and government support will help this industry grow.

Yes, it won't be easy. Becoming self-reliant in making APIs and excipients is definitely tough. It
needs a lot of money for very modern labs, production factories, and training skilled people. We

need to focus on advanced technology and constant research and development to make high-
quality APIs and excipients. It's important to create researchers, engineers, and technicians with

special knowledge for this industry.
But I believe we have what it takes. Bangladesh has a great chance to face this challenge. Our
medicine industry's long experience, skilled workers, and the government's positive attitude can
help us on this journey.

To succeed in making APIs and excipients, we need to take some clear steps. We need to
connect universities and businesses to do more research on how to make APIs and excipients.
Our universities should focus on training experts in areas like pharmaceutical chemistry,
biotechnology, and chemical engineering. We must also make sure that the APIs and excipients
we make meet international standards (like GMP - Good Manufacturing Practices). There can
be no shortcuts here. To compete in the global market, we can't compromise on quality. We also
need to partner with foreign investors and companies that provide technology.

Finally, Bangladesh making its own APIs and excipients isn't just a dream; it's something we are
ready for. It's like a shield for our health and a new engine for our economy. With good planning,
strong resolve, and everyone working together, we can reach this goal and bring Bangladesh to
a new high level in the world. If this industry grows, Bangladesh will not just be known for
making medicines, but also for making the raw materials for medicines on the world stage. This
journey needs everyone's help – the government, businesses, researchers, and most
importantly, the people. Together, we can build a Bangladesh that is fully self-sufficient in
healthcare and much stronger economically.