Kolkata, June 6, 2026
The West Bengal unit of the BJP is planning an initiative to secure Geographical Indication (GI) tags for several traditional Bengali sweets that currently lack formal recognition, the party said on Saturday.
The party’s goal is to establish several popular Bengali sweets, which are still without Geographical Indication (GI) recognition, at the national and international levels.
According to the party, it will apply through the state government for the traditional sweets that do not yet have the GI tag. For this purpose, initiatives will be taken in phases based on information collected at the district level, expert opinions and research reports. The party claimed that the coordination between the state government and the BJP leadership is also being kept open on the issue.
A Geographical Indication (GI) tag is a legal certification used on products that have a specific geographic origin and possess unique qualities, reputation, or characteristics attributable specifically to that origin. It acts as a mark of authenticity and intellectual property to protect traditional heritage
BJP state president Samik Bhattacharya said in Delhi on Friday, “Bengal is known for its sweets. There are many sweets whose popularity needs to be increased further. The state will appeal to the BJP government in this regard.”
According to the party leader, the initial list includes Malda’s famous ‘Kansat’ and Cooch Behar’s ‘Mohan Bhog’. There are plans to start the first phase of the program focusing on these two sweets. In addition, Hooghly’s Kamarpukur’s ‘Sada Bonde’ and Nabadwip’s ‘Lal Dahi’ are being kept under review. According to the party leadership, Bengal’s regional history, culture and economic potential are associated with all these sweets.
However, the BJP’s plan is not limited to the GI tag alone. The party is thinking of establishing ‘sweet hubs’ in the districts. The aim is to create a well-organised infrastructure for the production of these sweets, marketing and export. According to the BJP leadership, the GI tag will recognise tradition, and the hub system will expand business.
According to some leaders, this initiative is part of the promise the BJP made in the 2026 Assembly elections to ‘protect Bengali identity’. The saffron camp has adopted a strategy to reach out to the people of Bengal more deeply by bringing language, culture and tradition to the centre of political discussions. The BJP wants to give equal importance to both the initiative to create a land policy to attract large industries and investments and the plan to strengthen the traditional sweet industry of Bengal.
According to party sources, a formal proposal will be sent to the state government. After that, the government will select the sweets, prepare the necessary documents and the application process. In this regard, the state BJP is also preparing to start communicating with big sweet traders, food researchers and experts working on traditional sweets. The goal is to make Bengali sweets more familiar not only within the state but also in the international market.
According to political observers, the BJP’s initiative centred on Bengali sweets is not just an economic programme, but also has a cultural message.(Agency)
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