Kaiser Kabir

Is it because most medicines are paid for out of pocket? Yet almost everything, from food, clothing, rent and education to retirement, is paid for out of pocket. So why does the price of a pill get singled out for the firing squad?

A handful of firms and a fistful of politicians -- this is the widely accepted description of oligarchic economic systems. It is a malevolent alliance that eventually appropriates the national economic pie through skullduggery.

There is an old joke: a man arrives at a seedy motel and is offered two options. The economy room costs $10, while the premium room is $12..“What is the difference?” he asks..“The $12 room comes with a free TV,” replies the receptionist with a smile..The humour lies in the contradiction. The TV is "free" but costs more. As Bangladesh prepares free trade agreements (FTAs) with as many as two dozen countries, the joke is a timely reminder: in global commerce, there is no such thing as a free deal. The large print giveth, while the small print taketh away, as the saying goes.

In late 2014, a cheerful octogenarian in a wheelchair rolled into a pharmaceutical factory in Rajendrapur, Gazipur. As he was escorted from room to room, his demeanour changed markedly. No longer engaging in light conversation, his goggle-eyed expression clearly pointed to a man completely befuddled by his surroundings.