The Forest Department started issuing passes to honey collectors from Tuesday.
The annual honey collection usually begins in April and ends in June, and a three-month pass is issued by the authorities for collecting wax from beehives in the Sundarbans. But this year, it began 15 days ahead.
“As the honeycombs are already filled with honey, we have decided to issue the permits a fortnight ahead this year," said Dr Abu Naser Mohsin Hossain, forest officer of the Sundarbans East Division.
"Every year, the honey collectors, traditionally known as Mowals, collect honey from hives without any permission, and later nothing remains for the authorized collectors,” he added.
Mihir Kumar Dey, forest conservator of Khulna circle, said that the permits would be issued to the Mowals under Khulna and Satkhira forest ranges.
“This year, taxes on honey and wax collections from the Sundarbans have been increased to Tk6 per kg and Tk2 per kg respectively," he said.
According to a gazette notification issued on February 26 this year, the tax for honey collection was fixed at Tk1,600 per quintal, which was Tk1,000 earlier.
Meanwhile, the tax on wax collection has been fixed at Tk2,200 per quintal from the earlier Tk2,000.
According to the Forest Department, in the 2020-21 fiscal year, 580,240 kgs of honey and wax were collected from the Sundarbans. The government earned a revenue of Tk4,686,413 from the collected honey and wax during the same time.
According to documents, honey collection in the Sundarbans began in 1860. The Mowals live adjacent to the forests and have been collecting honey every year. Traditionally, a special prayer is offered before they begin the annual honey collection.
