AmCham Bangladesh urges dedicated medical device regulations, faster approvals and tax reforms to improve healthcare access and patient outcomes
DHAKA, October 19: The American Chamber of Commerce in Bangladesh (AmCham) has called for a dedicated regulatory framework for medical devices and equipment, saying streamlined approvals, predictable taxation and stronger partnerships with international companies could improve healthcare access and patient outcomes in Bangladesh.
At a high-level roundtable in Dhaka on Monday, government officials, US Embassy representatives and business leaders discussed policy reforms to create a more transparent and predictable regulatory environment for the medical technology sector.
The event, titled “Unlocking the Potential of Medical Technology to Improve Patient Outcomes in Bangladesh,” brought together representatives of the Directorate General of Drug Administration (DGDA), the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and leading US medical technology companies.
Syed Mohammad Kamal, president of AmCham Bangladesh, reaffirmed the chamber’s commitment to strengthening Bangladesh-US economic ties, noting that its member companies have more than $5 billion in existing investments and are committed to facilitating another $5 billion over the next five years.
He said healthcare and medical technology could play an important role in advancing this investment ambition through innovation, capacity building and improved patient care.
AmCham presented five policy recommendations for the government, including separate DGDA guidelines for medical devices, streamlined registration procedures with defined timelines, and parallel reviews of registration dossiers.
It also called for predictable maximum retail price (MRP) approvals in line with existing markup guidelines and 7.5% VAT, rationalisation of duties and taxes on medical devices and spare parts, and simplified procedures for re-exporting equipment for repairs and importing spare parts.
As a longer-term measure, the chamber 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.
Md Alamgir Hossain, director general (additional secretary) of the DGDA, outlined the regulator’s priorities and ongoing reform initiatives. He highlighted efforts to streamline registration procedures and facilitate the resumption of inspections by international regulators, stressing the importance of timely, transparent and predictable approvals.
M A Muhit, state minister for health and family welfare, attended the roundtable as the chief guest and outlined the government's priorities of strengthening primary healthcare, preventing diseases and decentralising specialised services to divisional and district levels.
Referring to a record health budget of approximately Tk 70,000 crore and recent tax measures, he acknowledged delays in regulatory registrations and reaffirmed the government's efforts to expedite approvals.
The state minister urged US companies to build sustainable partnerships with Bangladesh 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.
He specifically highlighted opportunities to train professionals from the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) and the University of Dhaka.
Muhit also outlined plans for a national e-health and digital monitoring dashboard to improve the utilisation of medical equipment, alongside innovative financing mechanisms and transparent procurement practices.
Emphasising inclusive healthcare, he encouraged multinational companies to use their corporate social responsibility initiatives to support underserved communities, particularly children with disabilities.
Omar Ishrak, former chairman and chief executive officer of Medtronic plc and former chairman of Intel Corporation, shared his global perspective on the medical technology industry, highlighting emerging innovations and opportunities for Bangladesh to expand access to quality healthcare and improve patient outcomes.
Industry representatives also shared their perspectives on regulatory challenges and opportunities for expanding medical technology services in Bangladesh.
The participants included Mayank Tripathi, country director of Medtronic Bangladesh; Mirza Shajib Raihan, business leader for Bangladesh at Becton Dickinson; and Muhammad Asaduzzaman (Romel), country head and director of GE HealthCare Bangladesh.
Paul Frost, commercial counsellor at the US Embassy in Dhaka, and other embassy officials also took part in the discussion, underscoring the role of public-private engagement in strengthening bilateral economic cooperation.
Participants welcomed the government's constructive approach to dialogue and 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.
The roundtable was moderated by Chowdhury Kaiser Mohammad Riyadh, executive director of AmCham Bangladesh, while Al-Mamun M Rashel, country manager and managing director of NATCO Bangladesh, delivered the vote of thanks. Medtronic Bangladesh supported the event.
