(BSS) - The fifth National Bee and Honey Conference was held today here with the objectives of raising awareness, dispelling misconceptions about honey, and fostering collaboration among researchers, farmers, producers, traders, and consumers.

Bee and Honey Association organized the conference took place at the Institution of Diploma Engineers Bangladesh (IDEB), said a press release.

Chief Conservator of Forest Md. Amir Hosain Chowdhury inaugurated the conference as the chief guest.

At the event, eight individuals were honored with Honey Award for their contributions to bee farming and honey-related initiatives.

The awardees included Dr. Ahsanul Haque Swapan, Professor, Department of Entomology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, Dr. 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 (Retd), BSCIC, Jagadish Chandra Saha, Md. Ayub Ali Gazi, a veteran beekeeper from Satkhira, Md. Chan Mia Sarkar, a senior beekeeper from Sirajganj, and Dr. Abu Nasir Mohsin Hossain, Divisional Forest Officer, Tangail.

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