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Unlicensed pharmacies selling adulterated, expired drugs in Cumilla town


Published : 11 Apr 2021 09:23 PM

Unlicensed pharmacies have sprouted like mashrooms all over Cumilla town. These pharmacies are selling adulterated and date expired medicines to the locals. Besides, most of these pharmacies also have government medicines in their stock. 

On the other hand, local LMM assistant doctors are providing various medical services to people of the area announcing them as doctors from these unlicensed pharmacies. Due to these problems locals are being deprived of proper medical services. 

Most of these pharmacies do not have license. Again, those who have license did not renew it for a long time. As a result, common people are being deceived by this. The owners of these mushroomed pharmacies are running their pharmacies with only a trade license, ignoring government regulations. 

These pharmacies are selling low quality medicines and the LLM assistant doctors are doing malpractice in the name of treatment from these pharmacies. 

In an investigation it was revealed that, these pharmacies buy low quality medicines from different companies at low prices so that they can set up their business by investing only a little money. There are allegations that these pharmacies supply medicines to patients outside the prescription deceiving locals taking advantage of their trust. 

In recent times, when the corona pandemic started in the country, common people started getting cold, cough, fever, headache and various other symptoms of the virus infection. By capitalizing on this, drug dealers started selling low quality medicines along with well-known and expensive medicines in Cumilla town.

These unlicensed pharmacies are located in Alekharchar Drug Market, Shasnagachha Badsha Mia Bazar, Kandirpar Laksam Road, Chhatipatti, Chawkbazar, Ranirbazar, Paduarbazar and Chowrabazar areas in Cumilla town. There are allegations of selling adulterated and expired drugs in the drug stores located in all these places. 

However, there are rules that, a drug store must be run by a trained pharmacist. If a person sells drugs without a drug license and pharmacist training, then there are provisions of filing a case against him under the drug licenses act of 1942 and 1945. Whereas, these pharmacies are running their business without paying heed to the govt law. 

As a result, patients are losing money on the one hand and on the other hand their bodies are facing more health risks. Many could even dye from the side effects of the fake drugs sold by these pharmacies.

When asked about the matter, Cumilla District Civil Surgeon Dr Mubarak Hossain said an operation against these unlicensed drug stores would be launched soon while Cumilla Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Kamrul Hasan said legal action would be taken if any complaint is received in this regard.