The three leading pharmaceutical companies of Bangladesh, Acme Laboratories, Square Pharmaceuticals and Advanced Chemical Industries have taken up major expansion plans at Dhamrai, Kaliakoi and Narayanganj. Another pharmaceutical company, Eskayef Bangladesh Ltd. completed work on its new plant in August 2008. Acme Laboratories' new construction started in 2008 and will be ready by June 2010. Square Pharmaceuticals has started expanding this year and the project will be completed by 2016. Among other industry players, Beximco, Eskayef, Incepta, Opsonin, Renata, Aristopharma and Drug International some of them are laying out plans to increase their production capacities.
Acme's new manufacturing unit is located at Dhamrai, Square Pharmaceutical's at Kaliakoir, north of Dhaka and Advanced Chemical Industries' at Narayanganj.
The estimated cost of erecting Acme's new facility is US$ 31.2 million and Advanced Chemical Industries is likely to spend around US$ 8.7 million on its new project.
The three facilities would manufacture anti-cancer and anti-AIDS medicines apart from other pharmaceutical drugs. The companies involved are required to follow Current Good Manufacturing Practices (CGMP) to ensure the quality of the manufactured products.
