Company eyes Bangladesh’s herbal medicine market through distribution model, says chairman
DHAKA, 19 October: Pakistan’s Marhaba Laboratories (Pvt) Ltd, one of the country’s major herbal medicine manufacturers, plans to launch its products in Bangladesh next year, aiming to tap into the country’s expanding market for herbal and Unani medicines.
Hakeem Muhammad Usman Sheikh, owner of Marhaba Laboratories and president of the Pakistani Tibbi (Unani) Pharmaceutical Manufacturer Association (PTPMA), said the company was exploring opportunities in Bangladesh and planned to enter the market through a distribution network rather than setting up a manufacturing plant.
“We are now trying to explore the Bangladeshi market,” he told The Shuttle Times in an interview.
Sheikh said Marhaba was among Pakistan’s three largest manufacturers in the herbal medicine sector and exported its products to more than 40 countries.
The company already operates three factories in Pakistan and has no immediate plan to establish a manufacturing facility in Bangladesh, he added.
Instead, the company intends to introduce its products through local distributors, allowing it to test market demand and expand its presence without making an initial investment in local manufacturing.
Abdul Manan, general manager of Marhaba Laboratories, told The Shuttle Times that the company had more than 200 products in its portfolio, including its flagship product, Ispagul, a herbal husk product.
He claimed that Ispagul held around 90 percent of its domestic market in Pakistan, highlighting the product’s importance to the company’s business.
“We want to capture the Bangladeshi market with our flagship products,” Manan said.
The company plans to use its established product range to attract Bangladeshi consumers, although its success will depend on local demand, distribution capacity, pricing and regulatory approval.
Founded on July 1, 1975, Marhaba Laboratories was established by Sheikh and his four younger brothers following his studies at Tibbia College in Lahore.
According to the company’s history, its founder sought to preserve traditional Oriental medicine by producing herbal remedies and natural dietary supplements using modern scientific methods and quality-control practices.
The company began on a modest scale, with a focus on making traditional formulations available in ready-to-use forms while retaining their natural qualities. It subsequently expanded its product portfolio and international presence.
Marhaba’s planned entry into Bangladesh comes as Pakistani manufacturers explore opportunities in the country’s herbal and Unani medicine sector.
The distribution-based approach would allow the company to introduce its products without establishing a factory locally. However, its products will need to meet Bangladesh’s applicable regulatory requirements before being marketed to consumers.
The planned launch could also open opportunities for local distributors and retailers if the company can establish a competitive position in Bangladesh’s herbal medicine market.
