Participants at a workshop yesterday laid stress on commercial production of herbal medicine across the country.

They said Bangladesh imports herbal medicine worth about Tk 60 to 70 crore due to lack of proper attention tn this sector.

The two-day workshop on the ‘Use of herbal plants: prospect and problem’ was inaugurated by Health and htmily Welfare Minister Dr Khandaker.Mosharraf Hossain as chief guest.

He said the government is formulating a new drug policy putting importance on the use of herbal medicine.

He assured that rhe government would do everything possible to implement the suggestion of the workshop.

Speaking as special guest, lili-vironment and Potest Minister Shajahan Siraj said health facilities of the poor people could be ensured wdth the use of hcrbal medicine.

He called upon nongovernment organisations and general people to conte forward to supplement government's efforts to increase production of herbal plants in the country.

Stale Minister for Agriculture Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said incentives will have to be given to farmers to plant herbal trees

I Ie also suggested that proper training should be given to the persons who would produce herbal medicines.

Presiding over the session, Dr Abul Hasan, professor of Botany of Dhaka University, stressed the need for proper collection of herbal plants to prepare herbal medicines.

commercially by ensuring fair price to them.

In. his keynote paper, Mahbubur Rahamn Saki of layson Products Limited said India exports herbal medicine worth about Tk 3,000 crore every year to world market while Bangladesh has no share in it although it has a bright prospect in this regard.