DHAKA, Aug 13, 2025 (BSS) – Essential Drugs Company Limited (EDCL), the state-owned pharmaceutical manufacturer, has announced price reduction on 33 essential medicines, a move expected to save the government approximately Tk 116 crore.

EDCL Managing Director Md A Samad Mridha today revealed this update at a press conference at its headquarters.

He claimed that the company has attained unprecedented achievements over the past six months and the decision to reduce the prices was taken following the formation of the interim government. The reduced-price medicines include tablets, capsules, oral saline, injections, and other critical pharmaceutical items, he added.

Mentioning that several reform initiatives have been undertaken to boost production and make the company profitable, Mridha said these include dismantling syndicates, combating corruption, and terminating around 700 unnecessary employees. 

As a result, production has increased by an estimated Tk 59 crore, he said, adding that by opening tenders for raw material procurement, the company is now saving approximately Tk 18 crore per month.

Mridha further announced that the company would set up two new plants under EDCL, of which one will be a biotechnology facility focused on vaccine production, including insulin and other biological products. 

He added that the company aims to increase its contribution to government medicine demand from the current 70 percent to 90 percent through expanded in-house manufacturing.

In his written statement, Mridha highlighted that EDCL’s core objective is to ensure uninterrupted supply of quality essential medicines to public hospitals across the country, thereby safeguarding public health. 

He said the real benefit isn’t making a profit of Tk 3 from a single medicine, but helping someone recover and stay healthy. That’s why the company has reduced its focus on producing non-essential medicines and has also cut back on employee overtime, he added.