The amount of bribery at the Directorate of Drug Administration ranges from Tk 500 to Tk 1.5 million, according to Transparency International Bangladesh.
Officials of the directorate, an extremely important body for ensuring public health, take undue amounts for providing 13 services including issuance and renewal of drug lisence and approval to new products.
The anti-corruption watchdog came up with the findings in a report released at its office in Dhaka city on Thursday.
The report, titled 'Good governance in the Directorate of Drug Administration: Challenge and way out', said the officials of pharmaceutical companies have established nexus with directorate officials.
The companies manage to secure endorsement from the directorate by offering money, gifts to officials, or even issuing hidden threats in cases, said the report presented by TIB researcher Md Shahnoor Rahman and Nazmul Huda.
TIB executive director Iftekharuzzaman claimed they kept in touch with directorate officials at different stages of the study.
He said the drug administration acknowledged the findings of the study, especially transactions of undue money. The officials, however, had difference of opinion on the amount mentioned in the report.
The report found that the committees at the directorate assigned to look after drug production and marketing, do not function properly.
Political influence in the decision making process and priority to upholding companies' interest are among the reasons of non-functioning of the committee, added the report.