Dhaka, June 20 (UNB) – A total of 1,101 people had been diagnosed HIV positive as of November 2011 in the country and of which, 325 people have died, Health Minister AFM Ruhal Haque told Parliament on Wednesday.

As per the government statistics, the number of reported cases was 2,533 during the period, he said while answering a tabled question of MA Latif (Awami League-Chittagong).

The Health Minister said the government has been following various strategies to control the HIV/AIDS.

He informed that a number of bilateral aid agencies including Global Fund, WHO, USAID, ADB, UNICEF, UNAIDS and Swiss Red Cross are playing role in the the government’s HIV-AIDS related programmes under the government’s direct supervision.

Answering another tabled question of Sukumar Ranjan Ghosh (Awami League-Munshiganj), Dr Ruhal Haque said the government has cancelled licenses of 16 pharmaceutical companies for producing substandard medicines and non-compliance of Good Manufacturing Practice of the World Health Organization (WHO).

Responding to a tabled question of Nur Afroj Ali (Women Seat-14), he said Bangladesh’s quality medicines are being exported to 87 countries including in Europe and America.