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Dhaka: The American Chamber of Commerce in Bangladesh (AmCham) has called for a dedicated regulatory framework for medical devices and equipment to improve healthcare access, ensure patient safety and outcomes, and attract investment in the country’s healthcare sector.
The call came at a high-level roundtable titled “Unlocking the Potential of Medical Technology to Improve Patient Outcomes in Bangladesh”, organised by AmCham on Monday, bringing together senior government officials, US Embassy representatives and business leaders from medical technology companies.
In his welcome remarks, AmCham Bangladesh President Syed Mohammad Kamal reaffirmed the chamber’s commitment to strengthening Bangladesh-US economic ties. He said its member companies had more than US$5 billion in existing investments and were committed to facilitating another US$5 billion over the next five years.
He highlighted the potential of healthcare and medical technology to support this ambition through innovation, capacity building and improved patient care.
At the meeting, AmCham presented five key policy recommendations to the government to create a more transparent, predictable and business-friendly regulatory environment for medical technology.
The recommendations included introducing separate Directorate General of Drug Administration (DGDA) guidelines for medical devices, streamlining registration with clear timelines and parallel dossier reviews, ensuring predictable maximum retail price (MRP) approvals in line with the markup guideline and 7.5 per cent VAT, rationalising duties and taxes on medical devices and spare parts, and simplifying procedures for re-exporting equipment for repairs and importing spare parts.
As a longer-term initiative, AmCham proposed a joint workshop involving the DGDA, American and European medical technology companies and other stakeholders to develop a dedicated regulatory framework aligned with international standards and best practices.
DGDA Director General Md Alamgir Hossain, an additional secretary, outlined the agency’s regulatory priorities and reform initiatives for the sector. He highlighted ongoing efforts to streamline registration procedures and facilitate the resumption of inspections by international regulators, stressing the importance of timely, transparent and predictable approvals.
State Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr M A Muhit attended the roundtable as the chief guest. He outlined the government’s priorities, including strengthening primary healthcare, preventing diseases and decentralising specialised services to divisional and district levels.
Referring to a record health budget of around Tk 70,000 crore and recent tax measures, he acknowledged delays in regulatory registration and reaffirmed the government’s efforts to expedite approvals.
He urged US companies to pursue sustainable partnerships beyond equipment sales, focusing on lifecycle costs, after-sales services, technology transfer, local manufacturing and assembly, and specialised training for Bangladeshi engineers and healthcare professionals, including those from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology and the University of Dhaka.
The state minister also highlighted plans to develop a national e-health and digital monitoring dashboard to improve the utilisation of medical equipment. He called for innovative financing mechanisms and transparent procurement practices.
Emphasising inclusive healthcare, he urged multinational companies to use their corporate social responsibility initiatives to support underserved communities, particularly children with disabilities.
Dr Omar Ishrak, former chairman and chief executive officer of Medtronic plc and former chairman of Intel Corporation, shared his global perspective on developments in medical technology. He highlighted emerging innovations and opportunities for Bangladesh to use technological advances to strengthen its healthcare system, expand access to quality services and improve patient outcomes.
Industry representatives also shared their perspectives, including Medtronic Bangladesh Country Director Mayank Tripathi, Becton Dickinson Bangladesh Business Leader Mirza Shajib Raihan, and GE HealthCare Bangladesh Country Head and Director Muhammad Asaduzzaman, also known as Romel.
Paul Frost, commercial counsellor at the US Embassy in Dhaka, attended alongside other embassy officials.
Welcoming the government’s constructive approach to dialogue, participants reaffirmed their commitment to working with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the DGDA to establish a transparent, predictable and enabling regulatory environment for medical technology in Bangladesh.
The roundtable was moderated by AmCham Bangladesh Executive Director Chowdhury Kaiser Mohammad Riyadh, while Al-Mamun M Rashel, country manager and managing director of NATCO Bangladesh, delivered the vote of thanks. Medtronic Bangladesh supported the event.