Dhaka to showcase South Asia’s pharma strength

Dhaka is set to host one of South Asia’s largest pharmaceutical manufacturing exhibitions as the 17th Asia Pharma Expo 2026 & Asia Lab Expo 2026 opens at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Exhibition Centre in Purbachal from March 29 to 31.

Organised by the Bangladesh Association of Pharmaceutical Industries (BAPI), the three-day event continues a 23-year legacy of promoting innovation, collaboration, and industrial advancement in the country’s fast-growing pharmaceutical sector, according to a press release.

More than 400 companies from over 20 countries are expected to participate, showcasing technologies in pharmaceutical processing and packaging, active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and excipients, laboratory and analytical instruments, cleanroom and HVAC systems, water management, and turnkey project solutions.

Following the inauguration, the exhibition will remain open to trade visitors throughout the three days, offering opportunities for sourcing, networking, technology assessment, and business expansion.

The organisers expect this year’s edition to build on the momentum of the 2025 expo, which drew around 14,500 trade visitors.

The upcoming event aims to deepen international engagement and facilitate technology transfer within Bangladesh’s expanding pharmaceutical manufacturing ecosystem.

Since the launch in 2003, Asia Pharma Expo and Asia Lab Expo have positioned themselves as dedicated platforms covering the full pharmaceutical manufacturing supply chain.

The exhibitions bring together entrepreneurs, researchers, and corporate decision-makers to explore advancements in machinery, raw materials, packaging, and laboratory technologies.

Bangladesh’s pharmaceutical industry has emerged as a key contributor to the national economy, meeting about 98 percent of domestic demand and exporting medicines to 157 countries, including the US, the UK, Germany, and Canada.

Valued at more than $3.5 billion, the sector is projected to exceed $6 billion by 2026, with an annual growth rate of 15 to 18 percent.