Our Bureau, Mumbai
Asia Pharma Expo 2003 (APE 2003), the trade show on the South Asian pharmaceutical industry going to be held during 23 to 25 February, 2003, at the Bangladesh China Friendship Conference Center, Dhaka, is expected to be one of the most important event in the industry history of Bangladesh.
The Exhibition, which would provide a wider platform for the domestic and the outside industry to interact with each other to share their trade interests, is rather opening the gateway to one of the Asia''s fastest growing pharmaceutical market.
The trade event organized by the Bangladesh Association of Pharmaceutical Industry (BAPI) would feature the latest on machinery, bulk drugs, analytical instruments, information technology of pharmaceutical industry.
According to S M Shafiuzzaman, president, BAPI, the goal of the entire event is to invite pharma allied sectors as well pharma manufacturing organizations to join with the rapidly growing pharma industry of Bangladesh.
APE 2003 is also supported by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Republic of Bangladesh, will also be beneficial for the local industry as it will get the exposure in world healthcare market, which may result into mergers, tie-ups and bonding strong business relations with those who can contribute significantly to the growth of the industry in terms of investments, technology and other industry inputs.
During the event, the trade delegations are expected from countries like India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Thailand, Indonesia, Taiwan, Korea. Currently in Bangladesh, there are more than 200 pharma formulators responsible for 97 per cent pharmaceutical production of the country. The local industry which grows at the rate of 22 per cent and the expected business in by the year 2005 is about 50,000 million BT. Though the local industry needs most of the industry inputs including chemical and engineering products from outside, the formulators are not only capable of catering to local demand but to export to as many as 27 countries.
According to Paresh Jhurmurwala, founder and CEO, Global Pharma Expo - India, the Event Producer and Managers for APE 2003, the expected visitors at the exhibition are categorized from CEO''s, technocrats, Works / Materials / Procurements / Purchase mangers, scientists, engineers, consultants, turnkey contractors, marketing chiefs and consultants, industry associations & trade delegations, policy makers, diplomats.
"We have got overwhelming response from across the world and expecting a good number of exhibitors and visitors from neighboring countries like, India, Pakistan, Bhutan, Nepal, Thailand, Malaysia," he said.
Jhurmurwala informed that international participation to the event is confirmed from the countries like; India, China, Bangladesh, Europe, Gulf countries, Korea, Taiwan, Singapore. Since this event aims at facilitating interactions between the trade visitors attending mainly from South East Asia, like; Bangladesh, India, China, Burma, Thailand, Pakistan, Nepal, Gulf countries, Malaysia, Indonesia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Korea, a series of technical seminars have also been scheduled for expanded exposure with widespread magnitude. This will provide a forum, where all the essential players of pharmaceutical fraternity will review the relevance and impact of technology on their future.
The exhibitors at the event are mainly from the segments like pharmaceutical processing, Plants & Equipment, Pharma Packaging Machinery and Materials, Bulk Drugs, Excipients, Additives, Drug Intermediates, Analytical Laboratory Supplies (Instruments, Glassware, Lab. Reagents / Chemicals, Biotechnology, Research Organizations, ISO/GMP Consultancy Services, Contract Manufacturing, Environment Control Equipment & Services, Utility, Utility Services & Maintenance, Contractors - Turnkey.