BAPA: Bangladeshi-American Pharmacist's Association

Pharmacy graduates that immigrated from Bangladesh took initiative to form a professional organization on March 3rd, 1991, a meeting was convened at the Tandoor Restaurant in Queens, New York. The same year, a constitution was adopted. The organization was named Bangladeshi-American Pharmacists' Association (BAPA).

* BAPA is a non-profit, non-political, non-religious, pharmacy-oriented voluntary professional organization.


»	To foster cooperation and collaboration among Bangladeshi pharmacists residing in North America.
»	To build and maintain relations with other pharmacists' associations in North America.
»	To support the profession of pharmacy in Bangladesh and in North America.
»	To support and encourage the development of Pharmaceutical Science in Bangladesh.
»	To develop and conduct programs for maintaining and improving the professional standard of the members.
»	To promote welfare of members' families in case of need.
»	To protect the professional interests of members of the Association.

CONVENTION 2008

The theme of this year’s convention is Pharmacy Profession in the USA and Bangladesh. Pharmacy education started in Bangladesh in the 60’s. Unfortunately, Pharmacist profession in Bangladesh is yet to be defined. We all know how medicines are dispensed in Bangladesh and needless to repeat what we all know. Although there is no statistics about the impact of uncontrolled dispensing on public health, we are sure this gap in Bangladesh healthcare system is causing wide varieties of healthcare problems. On the other hand, despite significant growth of pharmaceutical manufacturing industry in Bangladesh, supply of safe, effective and quality medicines is not fully defined as required.

There are 180 plus pharmaceutical manufacturers that are actively producing varieties of medicines in Bangladesh. It is a common public opinion that quality of medicines from many of these companies is not adequate. We think BAPA should initiate a process to study these situations along with experts in these areas in the US and Bangladesh, Pharmacy Graduates Association, Bangladesh Pharmaceutical Society, and the Government agencies; develop strategies to address any gap there may be, and propose solutions to the Government of Bangladesh and other stakeholders. Proposed solutions need to be feasible for Bangladesh. So, the Executive Committee of BAPA has decided to invite pharmaceutical industry experts, academia, and policy makers from the US and Bangladesh to this year’s BAPA Annual Convention to discuss and develop strategies to address these issues.