Bangladesh turns lone liquor plant into hand sanitiser producing unit

Bangladesh overnight turned the country's lone liquor producing unit into a sanitiser production plant as demands for hand sanitiser and liquid soap spiked amid the global coronavirus outbreak.

"We are capable of producing as much as needed and we plan to sell it through our (liquor) distribution centres and few other points," said state-run Carew & Co's managing director Jahid Ali Ansary.

He, however, said it could take few days for industrial scale production but 'Carew's Hand Sanitiser' would be marketed from Monday as a pilot case.

He said that the disinfectant would consist of 60 to 70 per cent rectified spirit and glycerine alongside colour and fragrance which could "kill any virus instantly".

Ansary said the company would charge Tk 60 (USD1 = Tk 85) for a 100 ml bottle of hand sanitiser, which is cheaper than the ones available in the market.

The development came as hand sanitizers appeared scanty in shops prompting Bangladesh's industries ministry to direct the company to prepare for massive production and nationwide marketing to meet its intensified demand.

The global death toll from the virus has crossed 14,000 while the number of infected rose to above 300,000.

Established in 1938 as a private enterprise, Carew & Co later emerged as a nationalised entity and only liquor plant in the Muslim-majority Bangladesh where drinking in public is prohibited.

The company produces different types of whisky, brandy, rum, gin and vodka having a market in abroad as well.