National Bee Conference aims to dispel misconceptions about honey

The fifth National Bee and Honey Conference was held at the Institution of Diploma Engineers Bangladesh in Dhaka yesterday with the objectives of raising awareness, dispelling misconceptions about honey, and fostering collaboration and good relations among researchers, farmers, producers, traders, and consumers. 

Bee and Honey Association organised the conference and Ghorer Bazaar, a household food producer, sponsored it. 

Chief Conservator of Forests of the Forest Department of the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change Md Amir Hosain Chowdhury inaugurated the conference as chief guest, said a press release.

Kabir Uddin Ahmed, director general of the Bangladesh Sugarcrop Research Institute, and Md Mokhlesur Rahman, food safety officer of the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority, Khulna, were also present at the programme.

At the event, eight individuals were honoured with the prestigious Honey Award for their contributions to bee farming and honey-related initiatives. The awardees are Ahsanul Haque Swapan, professor, Department of Entomology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, Mohammad Sakhawat Hossain, professor, Department of Entomology, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Khondokar Aminuzzaman, former project director, Bee Farming Project, BSCIC, Md Ali Ashraf Khan, former general manager, BSCIC, Jagadish Chandra Saha, Md Ayub Ali Gazi, veteran beekeepers from Satkhira, Md Chan Mia Sarkar, a senior beekeeper from Sirajganj, Abu Nasir Mohsin Hossain, divisional forest officer, Tangail.

Jamshed Mojumder, managing director of Ghorer Bazaar, said, "The aim of this conference is to bring together honey researchers, entrepreneurs, traders, and beekeepers from across the country to discuss the current state, challenges, and future prospects of Bangladesh's honey industry. Through this initiative, Ghorer Bazaar is contributing to the development, marketing, and global positioning of the country's honey industry, creating new business opportunities for honey producers."

Mohammad Nazmus Sakib, director and CEO of Ghorer Bazaar, said, "Like ready-made garments and fish, honey will also secure a top position among Bangladesh's export products and enhance the country's global standing."

Since its inception, the association has organised various activities, including exhibitions, meetings, seminars, honey fairs, honey tourism in the Sundarbans, raise awareness, address misconceptions, and build bridges among stakeholders. The association currently boasts over 26,000 members.

Ghorer Bazaar officials shared that the demand and market for honey in Bangladesh are steadily increasing. The annual honey market value in the country is estimated at Tk1,200 to Tk1,500 crore. 

In 2024, 20,000–25,000 tonnes of honey were collected from natural and cultivated sources, with 90%–95% of it coming from cultivated sources. While some honey is being exported, modern processing and collection facilities remain limited in the country, though some entrepreneurs are working to address this gap.

The daylong bee and honey exhibition was primarily sponsored by Ghorer Bazaar.