The Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection (DNCRP) has warned that any pharmacy found selling medicines above the Maximum Retail Price (MRP) will face immediate and strict legal action, including fines and possible license cancellation.
The warning comes amid reports that some pharmacies in Dhaka have been charging inflated prices for medicines and even selling expired surgical products following Monday’s military aircraft crash near Milestone School and College in Uttara, which left several people dead and many severely injured.
In response to the media reports, DNCRP launched a series of raids on Tuesday morning at pharmacies near the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery and other hospitals in the capital.
The operation was led by Assistant Directors Md Abdul Jabbar Mondol and Shikdar Shahinur Alam from the DNCRP’s Dhaka Division office. Three pharmacies were fined a total of Tk 25,000 during the raid.
Violations included selling expired medicines, failing to provide cash memos to customers, charging more than the listed MRP, and refusing to refund properly returned medicines.
In some cases, price manipulation and undisclosed commissions were also detected.
Specifically-- Upshom Medical Hall was fined Tk 5,000, Fatema Pharmacy was fined Tk 10,000 and Medicine Corner was fined Tk 10,000. “Medicine is directly linked to saving lives. Even a single taka of irregularity is unacceptable,” said Abdul Jabbar Mondol.
“Taking advantage of vulnerable patients and their families by overpricing essential drugs is a serious offense and will not be tolerated.”
The DNCRP urged citizens to report any such malpractice by calling the hotline 16121.
