Our Correspondent :
One is bound to get allured hearing the world ‘Madhu (Honey)’. The little bit more it is when the honey is of Sundarbans as it has country-wide fame and demand. Not only it is famous for its sweet taste; but it has its medicinal essence. Honey is collected through natural process in different regions of Bangladesh. But the honey of Sundarbans, the largest mangrove forest in the world, is famous for its quality and taste. It has its worldwide demand.
A huge quantity of honey is collected every year from Sharankhola Forest Range under the Eastern Division of Sundarbans (in Bagerhat district) alone every year from the 1st April to 30th June. Sharankhola Forest Range already fixed the target of 800 quintals of honey and 250 quintals of wax for the current season (financial year).
It is learnt from the different sources that more than 300 Mawals (honey collectors) already entered into the forest under Sharankhola Range in order to collect honey from the frst April and onwards after procuring passes and permits from the forest department. In the financial year of 2019-2020 some 711.5 quintals of honey and some 213.45 quintals of wax were collected from the different places of Sharankhola Forest Range alone.
The forest department earned about a sum of Tk.9 lakh as revenue from this sector (honey and wax). At least 30 thousand people including honey collectors, their family-members, honey traders and other concerned persons are directly or indirectly involved with this honey-industry.
It is learnt from the honey collectors and other sources that there are 3 different spices (kinds) of honey in Sundarbans- (1) honey of Khalisa flower, (2) honey of Kewra flower and (3) honey of Chaila flower. At first stage (mainly in the month of April) honey of Khalisa flower is available.
It is regarded as the best quality honey, precious and highly demanded. Honey of Kewra flower is available in the 2nd stage (in the months of May and June). It is regarded as the second grade honey and at 3rd stage (in the month of June) honey if Chaila flower is available. It is regarded as the 3rd grade honey. It is allegedly reported that some dishonest persons associated with the honey industry sell the adulterated honey to the buyers in the name of quality (pure) honey in order to earn more profits. On the other hand, the honey collectors are not trained. So, they are collecting honey in the primitive or old systems.
As a result, on the one hand, bees are being affected badly and on the other hand, honey is being wasted in a large scale. It was already a large number honey collectors already entered into the forest for collecting honey from there. But with the promulgation of the country wide Lock-down effect from Monday (March 05) all the honey collectors entered into the forest to collect honey were already asked by the forest department to come back form the interior of the forest immediately.
As a result, honey consumers will suffer in general and those who are engaged with the honey industry (including honey collectors, traders etc.) will suffer in particular and as well as the Sundarbans forest department. It may be mentioned here that the sufferings of a large number of people who are solely depend on the honey industry of Sundarbans will know no bounds.
