Bangladesh has a long tradition of using alternative medicine – mainly Ayurvedic and Unani – alongside modern allopathic care. From village kavirajs to branded herbal tonics in urban pharmacies, plant-based remedies remain a first line of treatment for many people. Today more than 550 manufacturers (around 201 Ayurvedic, 275 Unani and 40 herbal companies) are formally producing traditional medicines in the country.
Despite this scale, the sector is still treated as a peripheral cousin of mainstream pharmaceuticals. A World Bank–supported study estimated the formal herbal medicine market (Ayurvedic, Unani and homoeopathy) at about Tk 3,300 million – roughly US$60 million – already over a decade ago, with growth outpacing that of allopathic drugs. Yet this sizeable domestic demand has not been translated into a strong export presence.
Official trade data show that the total export value of medicinal plants from Bangladesh – the raw materials that feed Ayurvedic and other herbal industries – was only about US$0.59 million in FY2013–14, falling to US$0.39 million in FY2014–15. More recent disaggregated figures are scarce, but available evidence suggests export earnings from herbal and Ayurvedic products remain in the range of a few hundred thousand dollars annually. This is minuscule when contrasted with more than US$205 million in pharmaceutical exports in FY2023–24 and around US$213 million in FY2024–25.
Weak legislation and administrative fragmentation are major reasons for this underperformance. Regulatory responsibilities are spread across the Directorate General of Drug Administration, the Bangladesh Unani & Ayurvedic Board and the Herbal Product Development Council under the Ministry of Commerce, often without clear coordination or enforcement capacity.
But there is a huge potential for the local companies to expand their product lines and build trust-driven brands. One example is Antique Pharmaceuticals, a rising Bangladeshi manufacturer that has blended traditional formulations with modern delivery systems and digital sales channels. The company has already gained traction in international marketplaces, selling Ayurvedic products through Amazon and eBay across Europe, North America and the Middle East, with plans now underway to expand into Alibaba to tap into Asian and global wholesale buyers. These platforms have opened direct pathways for Bangladeshi herbal products to reach diverse global consumers seeking natural health solutions.
"Ayurvedic medicine is no longer only a practice of the past. It is a growing component of the future of health—sustainable, preventive, and deeply human-centric" says Saniat Hossain, the CEO of Antique Pharmaceuticals. "For Bangladesh, the path forward is clear: preserve the heritage, strengthen the science, modernise the delivery, and embrace the global market. If these steps are taken, Ayurveda could emerge not only as a cultural asset but also as a major contributor to the country's health sector and economic growth" he believes.
With international consumers seeking sustainable, natural, and culturally rooted health solutions, Bangladesh's Ayurveda industry has a chance to position itself as a credible global supplier. Locally, the approach must focus on education—helping patients understand proper use, benefits, and limitations of herbal medicine. Bridging the gap between tradition and modern scientific understanding will be key to building lasting trust.
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