Over 10 Crore Counterfeit Drugs Circulate in Bangladesh Annually.

There are more than 10 crore counterfeit drugs in the market of Bangladesh in 15 cycles per year.

Anwar Hossain alias Wasim and Asim Ghosh, the owner of the fake vaccine and injection supply chain to various hospitals and clinics in Dhaka, released at least 9 drugs of different companies in India and Bangladesh in the market under the packaging of pharmaceutical companies in South Korea, France, Germany and Denmark.

From the capital city of Dhaka to the remote rural villages, various types of fake medicines are spreading. According to intelligence information, at least 15 gangs based in Old Dhaka and Barisal are manufacturing counterfeit drugs of different brands and marketing them to local and foreign companies. These gangs first buy Tetanus, Atropine Sulphate, Diazepam, and Zation Group Atropine from Kholabazar for Tk 5 to Tk 10, then sell them as Hepabig, Vitamin D3, Clopiczole, Fluenzale Deport Injection, Resogama P, and Human Anti D as complex medicines. Some of these drugs are sold for up to Tk 4,500.

Law enforcement agencies report that these 15 groups are marketing fake drugs worth at least Tk 10 crore annually. Last year, the police registered 15 cases related to the supply of fake medicines. Four more cases have been filed in the first five months of this year, resulting in the arrest of 30 individuals.

Over a Hundred Fake Drug Factories and Pharmacies Identified in Dhaka

Investigators have identified more than a hundred fake drug manufacturing factories and pharmacies in areas of Dhaka such as Mohammadpur, Motijheel, Baridhara, Badda, Uttara, and Old Dhaka. Among the pharmacies found selling fake medicines are Baridhara General Hospital Pharmacy in Nardda, Naeem Pharmacy in Mitford, Shakeel Brothers, Sahara Drugs, Rajeev Enterprises, Al Aqsa Medicine, and Alauddin Medicine, all of which have been sealed. Additionally, the Directorate of Drug Administration and DB recently raided an unregistered factory involved in repackaging pregnancy strips and condoms, arresting the factory owner Manik Chandra Sarkar.

The anesthetic 'G-pethidine' is being made with the sleeping injection 'G-diazepam.' The leader of this operation is Alamgir Khan from Pirojpur, with his associate Masood Rana and pharmacist Ahsan Habib Shaon from Baridhara General Hospital. Alamgir bought G-Diazepam for Tk 8 each from various pharmacies in Mitford and sold it as G-Pethidine for Tk 600.

Major Fake Medicine Rings Uncovered in Dhaka and Beyond

Key Ringleaders and Operations:

1. Anwar Hossain alias Wasim and Asim Ghosh: Leading the supply of fake vaccines and injections to hospitals and clinics in Dhaka, marketing at least nine drugs from India and Bangladesh as products from South Korea, France, Germany, and Denmark. Their fake medicines are also distributed to private clinics in Comilla, Barisal, and Mymensingh.

2. Abu Bakr's Five-Person Ring: Specializing in fake antibiotics, with Md. Shaheen as the supplier in Dhaka. Dealers Shahidul Islam and Sirajul Islam send medicines from Barisal, and Md. Humayun aka Rajeev, a salesman for heart and Opsonin drug companies, helps distribute counterfeit antibiotics from Acme Pharmaceuticals and Square Pharmaceuticals.

3. Fake Orsaline Production: Led by Dulal, this group produces fake Orsaline by mixing salt and sugar in SMC Enterprises' packaging. Sayem Bhuiyan, manager of the saline foil paper manufacturing plant, and operator Yadul Sardar are also involved. Dulal remains at large.

4. Counterfeiting in Nilfamari: This group counterfeits several medications, including Square's Seklo, Healthcare's Sergel, Opsonin Pharma's Phoenix, SKF Pharmaceuticals' Losectil and Etorix, and produces Pantonix as Pantoprazole. Atiya supplies these fake medicines in Dhaka, buying government-run Essential Drugs Company's Azithromycin Tablets and Cetirizine Injection, and Drugs International's Fexofast from hospitals, selling them to Ranjan Barman's pharmacy in Mitford.

Ongoing Efforts and Implications

Assistant Commissioner of Motijheel Division of DB, Ershadur Rahman, stated that continuous operations are underway against the fake medicine and vaccine supply rings. Recently, four raids have resulted in the seizure of fake medicines worth around Tk 6 crore.

Ashraf Hossain, the spokesperson of the Department of Medicines Administration, told Samakal, "The Medicines Administration is taking a strict stand against fake and expired medicines. The team is constantly monitoring the market. The campaign continues. Last year, various pharmacies were fined Tk 3 crore, and the registration of seven institutions was canceled."