Discrimination against diploma pharmacists

FE Team | Published: May 03, 2025 20:59:42

Diploma in Pharmacy is a rigorous four-year academic programme in Bangladesh, producing skilled pharmacists who play a vital role in the healthcare system. From hospitals and clinics to community pharmacies and regulatory bodies, these professionals ensure the safe and effective use of medicines, guide patients, and collaborate with doctors to improve treatment outcomes.
Despite their immense contribution and equivalent qualifications, diploma pharmacists remain stuck in grade 11 or below, while their counterparts-diploma engineers (since 1994), nurses (since 2011), and agriculturists (since 2018)-have been upgraded to grade 10. This longstanding disparity is not just unjust but demoralising, undermining the dignity and motivation of pharmacists across the country.
Pharmacists do far more than dispense medicine. They identify drug interactions, review medication histories, and actively participate in patient care. Denying them grade 10 status sends the wrong message about the value of their profession and its role in national healthcare. It is high time the government and relevant authorities addressed this professional discrimination.
Motasim Billah Munna
Pharmacist, Upazila Health Complex
Baliakandi, Rajbari