This was revealed at a meeting of the parliamentary standing committee on health and family welfare ministry at Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban yesterday.

The committee asked the officials concerned to submit specific number of illegal drug retailers at its next meeting.

It also criticised the authorities concerned for their failure to monitor the drug business.

The officials informed the meeting that owing to loopholes in existing laws and shortage of manpower, they could not discharge their responsibilities properly.

They said existing laws permit a pharmacy to sell drug for three years without license. After three years it can apply for license.

The committee found the laws defective and recommended for their amendment as soon as possible.

"The illegal drug retailers are operating their business in collaboration with a section of corrupt officials" said Dr Salek Chowdhury, a BNP lawmaker and member of the committee.

He also alleged that illegal drug retailers sold banned drugs to the people.

The committee also observed that people are not getting proper medicare services due to irregularities, corruption and mismanagement in health sector.

"People are not getting health facilities as doctors are not available in government hospitals at district and upazila levels'', Mashiur Rahman, chairman of the committee, told The Daily Star after the meeting.

Over 7, 000 community clinics have been set up around the country but these remained unused, he added.

Presided over by Mashiur Rahman, the meeting was attended by Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Dr Mohammad Salek Chowdhury, Dr Mohammad Ali, and Abdul Kader Siddiqui.