Renewed piracy fears in the Sundarbans have halved honey collection, deterring mouals from entering forests and deepening economic hardship for coastal communities dependent on seasonal harvesting.
Honey collection in Bangladesh’s Sundarbans has dropped to half this season as forest-dependent communities avoid entering the mangrove due to renewed fears of pirate attacks, officials and collectors said.
According to the Forest Department, honey harvesting has fallen sharply compared to 2025, missing official targets and deepening a livelihood crisis for forest workers while also reducing government revenue.
For residents of coastal areas bordering the Sundarbans, a vast mangrove forest area in the Ganges Delta formed by the confluence of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers in the Bay of Bengal, the forest remains a vital source of income. But it has also become a source of fear, particularly for traditional honey collectors known as “mouals,” many of whom have stayed away this year due to threats from armed gangs.
“There is no way to enter the forest without reaching an understanding with pirates,” said Sheikh Mizan, a moual from Rampal in Bagerhat district. “If we are caught, they demand between 50,000 and 100,000 taka per boat. There is also beating and torture. If we negotiate in advance, we can go for 20,000 to 30,000 taka. But how can we afford this? That’s why I did not go this year.”
Several mouals from Rampal, Sarankhola and Mongla, who requested anonymity, said the situation has worsened despite some relatively safer years in the past. They said no one can enter the forest without paying extortion in advance, and those who refuse face death threats.
“We run our families on loans. How can we pay pirates?” one collector said, urging authorities to either control the gangs or provide alternative employment.
The honey collection season in the Sundarbans began on April 1 and will continue until May 31. However, officials say fewer collectors are taking permits, locally known as passes, this year.
The Forest Department has set a target of collecting 1,000 quintals of honey from the eastern Sundarbans area of Bagerhat this season. But officials fear the target may not be achieved due to the sharp decline in participation.
Md Khalilur Rahman, ranger at the Sarankhola Forest Station, said 120 mouals using 21 boats have entered the forest so far. Last year, 29 passes were issued on the first day of the season alone, but this year it remains uncertain whether that number will be reached throughout the entire season.
Dipon Chandra Das, assistant conservator of forests at the Chandpai Range under the eastern Sundarbans division, said 251 mouals with 93 boats have gone into the forest from Chandpai and Dhangmari stations. However, six boats returned without collecting honey after a gang known as the Jahangir group demanded extortion.
Divisional Forest Officer Rezaul Karim Chowdhury acknowledged that fear of pirates has discouraged many collectors from entering the forest.
“We have intensified patrols to ensure security and informed higher authorities about the situation,” he said, expressing hope for a quick resolution.
