Sakti Oushadhalaya an organisation for Ayurvedic treatment, education and development. Ayurvedic treatment system is being practised in the subcontinent for more than three thousand years. Sakti Oushadhalaya of Patuatuli, Dhaka, is the first Ayurvedic institute in the subcontinent, established by Mathuramohan Chakraborty in 1901, and since then it has been serving the nation. Sakti Oushadhalaya has not only organised the drug industries in the subcontinent but also played an important role in maintaining high standard of medicine for the modern society. Initially it had two products: Chabanprash and Swarnasindur. It is committed to supply better medicines so that the patients themselves publicize its effects.

Sakti Oushadhalaya became a government undertaking in 1971. It was again transferred to private sector in 1980 as it failed to make profits. This establishment made some assistance to the government for the development of Ayurveda such as short training courses for the staff, to establish Ayurvedic degree colleges, etc. It also plays a role in formulating the drug policy, controlling the standard of medicines, and updating Ayurveda.

Since most ayurvedic information are written in Sanskrit, to make the local people aware of ayurvedic medicine, Sakti Oushadhalaya published a book entitled Shaktir Griha Chikitsa in Bangla. Sakti Oushadhalaya houses the office of the 'Ayurveda Parisad', a council of the owners of the ayurvedic industries. This institute is responsible for getting the employees and agents employed in ayurvedic profession registered and trained. For registration people have to pass an examination of Ayurveda and Unani Board, run by the government.

The head office as well as the factory of Sakti Oushadhalaya is now situated at Swamibagh Road, Dhaka. Its activities are looked after by a managing committee of five members. Director is the executive head. It has now about 250 employees. In Bangladesh Sakti Oushadhalaya has 37 branches and about 3,500 agents. [Md Mukbil Hossain]