Photo: BSS

SATKHIRA, June 10, 2026 (BSS) - A total of 877 quintals (Q) of honey and 
263.10 quintals of beeswax have been collected from the Satkhira Range of the 
Sundarbans during the current fiscal year 2025-26, according to the Forest 
Department.

Officials said the collection exceeded last year's output by approximately 
22.5 quintals of honey and 5.6 quintals of wax, reflecting a modest increase 
in production.

Forest Department sources revealed that 260 groups of honey collectors, 
comprising 1,754 beekeepers, entered the Sundarbans this season to harvest 
honey. The collectors gathered honey from most areas of the forest, excluding 
protected wildlife sanctuaries such as Pushpakati, Notabeki, Dobeki, and 
Kachikata.

The government earned nearly Taka 20 lakh in revenue from the collection. 
Honey collectors paid Taka 1,600 per quintal of honey and Taka 2,200 per 
quintal of beeswax as government fees.

In comparison, during the 2024-25 fiscal year, collectors harvested 854.50 
quintals of honey and 257.50 quintals of wax from the Satkhira Range, 
generating approximately Taka 18 lakh in government revenue.

Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) of the Satkhira Range Md. Mashiur 
Rahman said the Forest Department, in collaboration with the Coast Guard, 
strengthened patrols and surveillance in vulnerable areas to ensure the safe 
and uninterrupted collection of honey.

"We have taken extensive security measures, including joint patrols and 
increased monitoring in risk-prone areas, so that honey collectors can carry 
out their activities without hindrance," he said.

Rahman added that the successful collection of 877 quintals of honey and 
263.10 quintals of beeswax this fiscal year contributed significantly to 
government revenue while supporting the livelihoods of hundreds of forest-
dependent families in the region.