A failure to protect our heritage

The latest claim, honey from the Sundarbans, is particularly hurtful, as the majority of the Sundarbans is in Bangladesh, with hundreds of tons of honey extracted from Sundarbans in Bangladesh every year.
That India has now claimed to be the single and unique producer of honey of the Sundarbans is both factually incorrect and a proverbial slap in the face for Bangladesh.
While we hope that the authorities concerned will now take the necessary steps to rectify this, the fact that there are 10 GIs already claimed by India, with more to follow, that is collectively shared between the two nations presents the more important question: Why is there a lack of understanding and collaboration with India, often considered Bangladesh’s closest ally in the global arena, to establish a legal framework to address these issues?
The importance of GI certification for a nation should not be undermined; it plays a major role in branding, highlighting traditions and reputations to ultimately create a distinct demand for the product.For a nation that is facing numerous economic struggles at present, losing out on Gi certifications that should be ours is simply inexcusable; failure to protect our intellectual property is quite literally costing us money, as it deprives us of potential foreign investment, reports DT.
First the Tangail saree, now the honey from the Sundarbans, India continues to claim sole ownership of products that are quite literally part of Bangladesh’s heritage. It is about time the authorities concerned treat this with the seriousness it warrants, or we will soon be left with nothing to call our own.