Dhaka, Dec 22, (V7N) - The fifth National Bee and Honey Conference was held in Dhaka On Saturday, (Dec 21), with the goal of raising awareness, dispelling misconceptions about honey, and fostering collaboration among researchers, farmers, producers, traders, and consumers. The conference was organized by the Bee and Honey Association and sponsored by Ghorer Bazar, a household food producer, at the Institution of Diploma Engineers Bangladesh (IDEB).
 
Md. Amir Hosain Chowdhury, the Chief Conservator of Forests under the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change, inaugurated the conference as the chief guest. Other notable guests included Dr. Kabir Uddin Ahmed, Director General of the Bangladesh Sugarcrop Research Institute (BSRI), and Md. Mokhlesur Rahman, Food Safety Officer of the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority, Khulna.
 
At the event, eight individuals were honored with the prestigious Honey Award for their contributions to bee farming and honey-related initiatives. The awardees included experts from the fields of entomology, bee farming projects, and veteran beekeepers.
 
The Managing Director of Ghorer Bazar, Jamshed Mojumder, emphasized the importance of the conference in bringing together various stakeholders to discuss the current state and future prospects of Bangladesh’s honey industry. Mohammad Nazmus Sakib, Director and CEO of Ghorer Bazar, added that honey has the potential to become a top export product for Bangladesh, similar to garments and fish.
 
Conference speakers, including honey researcher Syed Md. Moinul Anwar and Bee and Honey Association Convener Md. Ebadullah Afzal, discussed challenges like identifying pure honey and the need for stronger industry collaboration.
 
The Bee and Honey Association, which currently has over 26,000 members, aims to unite all stakeholders in the honey industry to raise awareness and share accurate information nationwide. Since its inception, the Association has organized various activities like exhibitions, seminars, honey fairs, and honey tourism in the Sundarbans.
 
The honey market in Bangladesh is growing, with an annual market value estimated between Tk 1,200–1,500 crore. In 2024, 20,000–25,000 metric tons of honey were collected, with 90–95% coming from cultivated sources. While there are some efforts to improve modern processing and collection facilities, the sector still faces challenges.
 
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