Call to set up more research centres on herbal medicines

They also said that the issue of natural products should be more focused while making the national drug policy because the nation will be benefited through exporting it.

Radiant Pharmaceuticals Ltd and Sinoveda Canada Incorporated jointly organised the symposium on 'Standardisation of natural products' at Hotel Sheraton in the city in participation of a number of herbal experts.

Prof Dr Choudhury Mahmood Hasan, chairman of Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, said herbal plants should be collected and dried timely to maintain its standardisation.

"Government should set up scientific research centres in every important place in the country because we have huge raw materials to produce herbal drugs," he said while addressing the symposium.

Canadian High Commissioner Barbara Richardson said new herbal industries should be set up as the demand and popularity of herbal drugs is increasing day by day across the globe.

"In the last decade, the number of herbal industries has been tremendously increased. It is a great opportunity for Bangladesh that the raw materials of herbal products are available here. The country will be benefited through using natural products but standardisation of the herbal products has to be ensured," she said while addressing the symposium as the chief guest.

Prof Dr Yun K Tam, founder of Sinoveda Canada Incorporated, presented a paper on 'Pharmaceutical platform technology: Standardisation of natural products' at the symposium where Dhaka University Dean of Pharmacy Faculty Prof Dr Mohammad Abdur Rashid and Radiant Pharmaceuticals Ltd Managing Director Masrur Ahmed also spoke.