Political Turmoil in Bangladesh Disrupts Indian Pharma and Medical Tourism
The ongoing political unrest in bangladesh has severely impacted indian pharmaceutical exporters and medical tourism operators. indian pharmaceutical companies are facing challenges such as stalled payments, misplaced shipments, and unresponsive importers. Similarly, the medical tourism sector is experiencing setbacks as patients from bangladesh either cancel their appointments or are unable to travel due to the unrest.
The Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council of india (Pharmexcil), which operates under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, reports that indian firms are now reluctant to supply products to bangladesh due to concerns over unpaid dues and financial instability. raja Bhanu, the director general of Pharmexcil, told News18, “The indian pharmaceutical industry, which exports drugs and intermediates, is encountering significant issues because of the unrest in bangladesh, including unpaid dues, financial stability concerns, and logistics problems.”
Bhanu also noted that logistical issues are exacerbated by the shared data-border, with shipments frequently getting delayed and difficulties in securing insurance. Despite these challenges, there is a slight improvement in conditions. “While there is hope for political and economic stability in bangladesh, it is too early to determine the full impact on our sector,” bhanu added.
Bangladesh relies on india for 30 percent of its pharmaceutical ingredients, sourced from both large and small to medium-data-sized indian firms. government data indicates that exports to bangladesh fluctuated during the financial year 2024-25, with a decrease in activity noted in June. After a 42.48 percent increase from april to May, exports grew only modestly by 5.66 percent in June, reflecting a slowdown despite earlier gains.
Attempts to reach drug manufacturers for comment yielded either no response or requests for anonymity. sun Pharma, which has had a substantial presence in bangladesh since 2004 with a full-fledged drug manufacturing site, is notably affected by these disruptions.