The buzzing of bees is music to the ears of Md Liaquat Ali Talukder. Bees have found a safe haven in his two-storey house in Uttar Palakhal More at Aingiri village under Palakhal Adarsha union in Kochua upazila. There are currently 15 beehives in the house. In addition, there are some 50 beehives on the adjacent trees. The bees do not harm anyone in the house or any visitors.

Liaquat, a retired soldier, said: "We built this house in 2011. Soon after that, bees started pouring in. We did not drive them away. Rather, we welcomed them as guests of Nature. These bees are very gentle. "

Shamima Afrin Bithi, daughter of Liaquat, said: "We treat the bees as our family members. We enjoy their buzzing round the clock. Though we are not trained bee-cultivators, we manage to collect honey from the beehives.  This honey is pure and natural. We sell this honey and donate some to the poor."

Liaquat said: "The government should come forward and encourage bee cultivation. It can become a good way of income for unemployed youth and women."

Kochua upazila agriculture officer Sofayel Hossain and sub-assistant agriculture officer Santosh Chandra Debnath expressed their appreciation of the pure and natural honey derived from the beehives.

They also said that honey cultivation was profitable and economically viable.

Local UP chairman Mohamad Imam Hossain echoed their views.