Expired Medicines, Physician Samples Seized, Four Pharmacies Fined Tk 73,000 in Sitakunda.

Md. Omar Faruk, special correspondent A mobile court has fined four pharmacies a total of Tk 73,000 for storing and selling expired, unauthorized medicines and illegally keeping physician samples in Sitakunda Bazar Chattogram. A large quantity of expired medicines was also seized during the drive. The operation was conducted on Thursday (July 30) by the Sitakunda Upazila Administration at several pharmacies in the market. During the drive, Ayat Pharmacy was fined Tk 15,000, Nuhash Pharmacy Tk 25,000, Jyotsna Pharmacy Tk 30,000, and Faruk Pharmacy Tk 3,000. According to the Upazila Administration, the inspection uncovered expired medicines, unauthorized and adulterated drugs, as well as physician samples that were being illegally stored and offered for sale. Under the relevant provisions of the Drugs Act, legal action was taken against the four establishments, and a substantial quantity of expired medicines was seized. The mobile court was led by Sitakunda Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) and Executive Magistrate Md. Fakhrul Islam. Assistant Director of the Directorate General of Drug Administration (DGDA), Chattogram, Makhnun Tabassum, and a team from Sitakunda Model Police Station assisted in the operation. Speaking after the drive, Executive Magistrate Md. Fakhrul Islam said, “With the assistance of the Directorate General of Drug Administration, we conducted inspections at several pharmacies in Sitakunda Bazar. We found expired, unauthorized and adulterated medicines, along with physician samples, which are prohibited from being stored or sold commercially. Based on the complaint filed by the DGDA, four pharmacies have been fined a total of Tk 73,000.” He added that such enforcement drives against the sale and storage of expired and illegal medicines would continue regularly to ensure public health and consumer safety.