It also ordered 14 other companies to stop manufacturing antibiotics within a week.

The health secretary, chiefs of the directorate general of health service and directorate general of drug administration has been told to report within two weeks over implementation of the order.

The court’s order came on Tuesday after initial hearing of a petition by a rights body, which seeks an order to cancel licences of these pharmaceutical companies.

The plea, filed in May by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh, cited that an expert panel found that these companies ‘failed to produce quality medicines’.

The court issued a rule asking why the authorities were ‘inactive’ in cancelling licences of these companies and why their permits to manufacture antibiotics will not be declared illegal.

It ordered seven people including, the health secretary, chiefs of directorate general of health service and directorate general drug administration, RAB director general and general secretary of pharmaceutical industries’ association to come up with explanation within four weeks.

>>The 20 companies asked to stop production are

Exim Pharmaceuticals, Avert Pharma, Bikalpa Pharmaceuticals, Dolphin Pharmaceuticals, Drugland Ltd , Globe Laboratories , Jalpa Laboratories, Kafma Pharmaceuticals, Medico Pharmaceuticals, National Drug Pharma, North Bengal Pharmaceuticals, Remo Chemicals, Rid Pharmaceuticals, Skylab Pharmaceuticals, Spark Pharmaceuticals, Star Pharmaceuticals, Sunipun Pharmaceuticals, Today Pharmaceuticals, Tropical Pharmaceuticals and Universal Pharmaceuticals.

>> The 14 companies ordered to stop manufacturing antibiotics are

Ad-din Pharmaceuticals, Alkad Pharmaceuticals, Belsen Pharmaceuticals, Bengal Drugs and Chemicals, Bristol Pharma, Crystal Pharmaceuticals, Indo-Bangla Pharmaceuticals, Millat Pharmaceuticals, MST Pharma and Healthcare, Orbit Pharmaceuticals, Pharmic Laboratories, Phoenix Chemical Laboratory, Rasa Pharmaceuticals and Save Pharmaceuticals.

In 2014, an expert panel was formed, which comprised of five members of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Health and Family Planning.

The panel visited 84 drugmakers and filed its report in February this year. It recommended cancelling licenses of 20 companies and permits to make antibiotics of 14 companies.