Money From Honey

Most people wouldn't think twice before zapping a bee when it is buzzing around the dinner table. Probably the right thing to do since the bee could sting when threatened. But Belayet Hossain of Satgaon in Munshiganj farms them and makes an astonishing amount of money. He earns about Tk 42 lakh a year farming bees and it's not like he has invested every bit of his waking hours for this. He works just three months a year when mustard crops have been planted. The bees help pollination boosting the harvest of the crops and Belayet gets the honey. He sells a kilogramme of the honey for Tk 350 at wholesale and also exports some. The 60-year-old is not alone. Many young people are joining the trade.

Photo: Anisur Rahman