On January 01, 2025, MD A SAMAD MRIDHA was named Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Essential Drugs Company Limited (EDCL) by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh. He graduated with a Bachelor of Pharmacy (B. Pharm) & Master of Pharmacy (M. Pharm) from Dhaka University which evaluated by University of Toronto.
Reputably, he achieved Designated Representative License, California Board of Pharmacy, Pharmacy License, Florida Board of Pharmacy, Foreign Pharmacy Graduate, NABP from USA & Pharmaceutical engineering training from Taiwan.
His Professional Affiliation is the Member Commonwealth Pharmaceutical Association, Bangladesh American Pharmaceutical Association, Bangladesh Pharmaceutical Society and Pharmacy Graduate Association.
He has served as Manager Formula/Production In-charge at Generic pharmaceuticals from 1987 to 1990, Production Manager at Essential Drugs company limited from 1990 to 2001, Manager at Eco-med Pharmaceutical, Mississauga, Canada from 2001 to 2003, Manager at Apotex Pharmaceutical (Toronto, Canada) from 2003 to 2007, Pharmacist (int) at Delray Medical Hospital (Delray Beach, Florida) and CVS Pharmacy, (Fort Myers, Florida USA) from 2007 to 2008, Senior Manager at Azopharma, Hollywood, Florida, USA from 2007 to 2010, as a Director of Research and Development at PureTek Pharmaceuticals, San Fernando, California, USA from 2010 to 2012.
He Worked as Senior Director of Research and Development from 2012 to 2024 at Bionutraceutical Inc, Chatsworth, California, USA.
Mr. SAMAD wants to strengthen EDCL's dedication to provide pharmaceuticals that are unwavering in terms of quality and affordability. Under his direction, he wants to produce quality medicines by applying modern technology at third plant of EDCL in Gopalganj. Moreover, Khulna plant (KELP) and Latex plant (ELPP) are providing services of the highest standard of latex for daily usage to commoners.
In addition to producing various IV infusions, the plant also produces iron, hormonal, and penicillin medications. He wants to expand the manufacturing line to include medical rubber goods like gloves, syringes, rubber corks, etc. As the government has officially announced him to create the first vaccine plant that
provides cost – effective vaccines (HPV, JE, TCV, MCV, COVID-19, TD-10, CHOLERA, INFLUENZA, POLIO, PENTA, PCV-10, DENGUE, MMR, BCG-20, BOPV-10, ROTAVIRUS, JE, HPV) all across Bangladesh. He believes that joining IVI aligns our commitment to advancing global health initiatives, particularly in the areas of vaccine research, development and distribution. By participating IVI activities, we aim to contribute to the global effort in ensuring availability of safe, effective and affordable vaccines for all.
According to Mr. SAMAD, EDCL is the most cutting-edge pharmaceutical company in Bangladesh, dedicated to offer reasonably priced medications both domestically and abroad. Medicine is exported by EDCL to Bhutan and Sri Lanka. In the upcoming years, significant progress will be made in establishing exports to Africa and other parts of Europe. EDCL is aware that the success of the company is largely due to its highly valued workforce. By enhancing working conditions, increasing incentives, and developing new job categories within EDCL, the CEO hopes to advance the initiative.