Ruhul Amin, Rupganj (Narayanganj)

Some 2500 medicine shops are running without trained pharmacists and licence. The pharmacies have also developed in the streets and alleys of the entire upazila.

Disregarding the regulations of the Medicines Administration, the business of selling medicines is being carried on only with a trade license. These pharmacies are freely selling high-dose antibiotics, banned, fake, expired and low-quality drugs without a doctor's prescription. Many patients and their families have suffered financial, physical and emotional losses. People here are constantly suffering from maltreatment. As a result, 1 million residents of Rupganj are at risk of health. Apart from this, the scary thing is that several drug stores are known to sell sleeping tablets and yaba under the guise of drug trade.

According to Narayanganj Drug Administration Directorate, there are 436 registered pharmacies in Rupganj. However, they could not give an accurate account of how many pharmacies there are without registration. According to information obtained from various sources, there are more than two and a half thousand unauthorized pharmacies in Rupganj.

The biggest thing is that there are no pharmacists or chemists in any of the registered and unregistered pharmacies. A senior official of the department, who did not want to reveal his name, said that hundreds of thousands of pharmacies are running without a license in Rupganj. There are about a thousand of these shops, which are of very poor quality. The business of these shops is also bustling as the demand for various medicines including healthcare equipment increases. Due to lack of supervision, fake, substandard, expired medicines and healthcare equipment are being sold in these shops. However, stocking, display and sale of drugs in these pharmacies is a punishable offense under the Drugs Rules, 1946.

Besides unlicensed allopathic medicines, many have opened pharmacies for Ayurvedic and homeopathic medicines. However, many pharmacy owners do not have the minimum qualifications required to run a pharmacy. After visiting some pharmacies in the upazila, it is known that they have worked in other pharmacies for a long time before starting the pharmacy business. Having gained experience from there, he started the pharmacy business himself. According to the investigation, 7 patients have died due to wrong treatment in the pharmacy in the last 10 years. On November 13, 2018, 4-month-old twins of Shahnaz Akhter died due to wrong treatment at Tamin Poly Pharmacy in Jatramura area. In this incident, the police arrested Yashin, the owner of the pharmacy. He was later released for not pressing charges. In 2011, a child died due to wrong treatment at Khokon Pharmacy in Nagarpara area.
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It has been found that in Bhulta and Golakandai areas, more than 35 pharmacies have been established as there are many hospitals in these areas. The overall condition of their medicine storage system is not up to standard. It is mandatory to start a pharmacy, obtain a drug license from the Department of Drug Administration and have a licensed pharmacist in every pharmacy. But most of the pharmacies do not have drug licenses and certified pharmacists. Many of them are also accused of selling sensitive medicines including antibiotics to patients without a doctor's prescription. According to the investigation, sleeping tablets and yaba are sold under the guise of drug trade in small pharmacies in the villages of Rupganj. Yaba is reportedly sold under the guise of drug business at Khokon Pharmacy in Nagarpara Bazar of Kayetpara Union.

A child died due to wrong treatment at this pharmacy. Talked to Khokon Mia, the owner of the 8th class pass pharmacy. He called himself Dr. He claims that these are lies. He avoided the issue when asked whether he had a license or a pharmacist. Going to a pharmacy in Murapara Darikandi area, you can see a tea shop on one side and a pharmacy business on the other side. The shop owner said that most of these pharmacies provide medicines outside the doctor's prescription. And because the common people have no idea about the price of medicine, they are selling medicines worth 5 rupees for 20-30 rupees. Apart from this, in case of sale of adulterated and low quality drugs, more commission is being paid than good quality drugs. Drug dealers are more interested in selling adulterated and low-quality drugs in the hope of more profit. Common people are also unable to identify which medicine is genuine and which is fake. As a result, trade in adulterated and substandard drugs is expanding day by day. And common people are getting health risk.

According to sources, there are rules for running a pharmacy by a trained pharmacist and the owner of a drug selling and displaying establishment must undergo training before being licensed. But this law is being disobeyed in drug shops in streets and alleys of Rupganj upazila along with various markets. Because of which drug shops without training and drug license are increasing day by day.

A pharmacist, who did not wish to be named, said, "As a drug license holder and trained pharmacist, I am enjoying the same benefits in the drug business while many are getting the same benefits despite not obeying the drug laws." It has been found that most of the pharmacies in Rupganj are selling fake and low-quality medicines. Those medicines are sold at a discount of 10 to 40 percent. It has also been reported that patients are suffering from more complicated diseases by taking these drugs.

A different picture can be seen from several pharmacies on the surface, there are thousands of pharmacies running in the whole upazila without degree holders, diploma holder pharmacists and drug licenses. Medicines are being sold from these pharmacies without a prescription. Among them, most of the pharmacies do not have a registered doctor's license.

Apart from this, even though big pharmacies have drug licenses, there are no skilled pharmacists. All kinds of diseases are treated even if there is no chemist or pharmacist. Small operations are often done in these pharmacies. Dr. Upazila health complex medicine specialist. Badal said, pharmacies give medicines after seeing the symptoms of the disease. Do not see the cause of the disease? Antibiotics are mostly being misused in these pharmacies. People often suffer from kidney problems by taking antibiotics. People should be aware. Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Dr. IV Ferdous said, the operation will be conducted very soon. Hospitals are being raided. After that, unauthorized pharmacies will be raided.

Assistant Director of Narayanganj District Medicine Administration SM Sabrina Yachmin said, "The campaign has started. The operation has already been conducted in the district town. Upazila-level operations will start soon.

Narayanganj District Civil Surgeon Dr. AFM Mushiur Rahman told Country Today, 'I am the drug license authority. We are looking at it. I have heard that medicines are also sold in grocery stores. We are managing mobile quotes.