By VETTAPHARMA reporter: DHAKA, Bangladesh, February 2, 2026 — Switzerland‑based Novartis AG has exited the Bangladesh pharmaceutical market, selling its entire 60 % stake in Novartis Bangladesh Limited (NBL) to homegrown Radiant Pharmaceuticals. The deal marks the departure of the last Western multinational drug firm with manufacturing presence in the country, following earlier exits by GlaxoSmithKline, Nuvista, and Sanofi.
Radiant Pharmaceuticals confirmed the acquisition in an earlier issued press statement, boosting its annual turnover to approximately Tk 2,200 crore and elevating it into the top ten pharmaceuticals companies in Bangladesh.
Novartis has operated in Bangladesh since 1973 through a joint venture with the Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC). Under the agreement, Radiant will continue Novartis’ legacy at NBL, although the final deal value has not been publicly disclosed and remains subject to regulatory approval. Sources familiar with the transaction indicated Novartis had previously been seeking around Tk 200 crore for its stake.
NBL and its subsidiary Sandoz Bangladesh reported a combined annual turnover of about Tk 400 crore, with roughly 75 % of revenue from locally manufactured products and the remaining 25 % from imports.
Following Novartis’ exit, Sun Pharma Bangladesh — the local subsidiary of India’s Sun Pharmaceutical Industries — remains the only foreign drug maker with a manufacturing plant in Bangladesh. European multinationals Roche and Novo Nordisk continue to sell imported medicines in the country via local subsidiaries.
Industry analysts say the rise of local pharmaceutical firms has increased competition, prompting multinational companies to reassess their presence in Bangladesh’s market.
Source Credit:
- The Business Standard. (2026, February 2). Novartis, the last multinational drug firm, exits Bangladesh. The Business Standard. Click here
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