A company named Pharma Solutions was reportedly bringing in diabetes test strips into the country from abroad without approval and marketing them in the names of foreign multinational companies.
Apart from this company, an investigation is also underway whether other companies are doing so or not. Besides, an investigation is being conducted whether any company is manufacturing life-saving products in the country without approval. Legal action will be taken against any institutions if they are found guilty.
This was disclosed at a discussion meeting organised by Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection (DNCRP) in Dhaka on Sunday.
DNCRP has sought information from Pharma Solutions about the quantity of unauthorised diabetes test strips being marketed by the company in the country. However, the company has not yet informed DNCRP about the matter.
AHM Shafiquzzaman, Director General of DNCRP said, "A multinational company's diabetes strips were printed at Nayapaltan in Dhaka. After getting information from Laz Pharma, we received an allegation against a company called Pharma Solutions for supplying unauthorised diabetes strips. They were interrogated repeatedly but they denied the matter. Although Pharma Solutions denied it, we accessed their servers and found that they did it. They have supplied it to many pharmacies like Laz Pharma.”
Shafiquzzaman also said, “We are in touch with the company under which the product is being marketed, i.e. Roche International. They saw the batch number and said that they did not produce this batch of strips, nor did they supply them in the market. After that a raid was conducted on a printing press named Print One at Nayapaltan. The company helps in marketing as well as packaging Pharma Solutions. Knowing that the matter is fake, they print it. But they did not admit it to us. They gave the details after we checked their invoices and got proof.”
"Investigations have shown that this strip is coming from a neighbouring country through a luggage party, especially in lots of clothes coming to these countries. There is no supervision at the customs point,” he added.
Pallab Chakraborty, chief executive of Pharma Solutions, was also present at the meeting. He said, “This happened through some of the company's salesmen. Salespeople are under a lot of pressure. They did it under pressure. But we have to take responsibility. It is a shame for us.”
Many people who were present at the meeting protested when he tried to partially avoid the responsibility terming the incident ‘a small mistake’.
Lutfar Rahman, the owner of One Print, a packaging company, said, “We printed the packets in two stages—printing at Tk 10,000 to Tk 11,000. But I have paid Tk 2 lakh in fine. Still if any action is taken against me or my family, I will take it head on. Because, I have helped in the event that many people of the country may lose their lives.”
