Online Desk: Health minister Dr Samanta Lal Sen on Tuesday said that Bangladesh has made continuous progress in the pharmaceutical industry, as 98 per cent of the country’s total demand for medicine is now produced locally.

“Almost all medicines produced in Bangladesh are being exported to 157 countries of the world,” he said.

In response to the question of an independent MP elected from Dhaka-19, Muhammad Saiful Islam, the minister said that incentives are being given by the government to encourage the export of medicines produced in the country.

“As a part of this, incentives are being given at the rate of 10 per cent this year,” he said.

Responding to the Awami League MP elected from Laxmipur-1 Anwar Khan, the minister said that medicines worth Tk 59 billion have been exported in the first six months till December of the current financial year.

In response to an independent MP elected from Laxmipur-4 Md Abdullah, the health minister said that about 32 types of medicines are being provided to community clinics and 105 types of medicines to government hospitals free of cost.