Bangladesh has no plan to launch an operation modelled on the 2002 ‘Operation Clean Heart’, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmad said on Thursday, while also ruling out the creation of a separate joint force to tackle the country’s law-and-order situation.
The minister made the remarks while speaking to journalists after unveiling the foundation plaque for the new headquarters of the Bangladesh Ansar and Village Defence Force in Tejgaon, Dhaka, on 1 October.
Asked about the government’s approach to maintaining law and order across the country, Salahuddin said there was no plan to establish a special joint force for the purpose. He also made it clear that the government was not considering a campaign similar to Operation Clean Heart, a major security operation launched in Bangladesh in 2002.
“There is no plan to form a special joint force to maintain law and order across the country, nor is there any consideration of launching an operation like Operation Clean Heart,” the minister said.
He said no public announcement had been made about establishing a new force separately for law-enforcement duties. Instead, the government would rely on greater coordination among the agencies already responsible for maintaining public security.
According to the minister, ongoing joint operations involving law-enforcement agencies will be strengthened to combat crime and ensure the safety of citizens. Police, Ansar and other relevant agencies have been instructed to remain more active and vigilant, with their efforts coordinated more closely at the operational level.
Existing agencies to take a more active role
The government’s stated approach is centred on strengthening cooperation between existing law-enforcement agencies rather than creating a new security structure.
Salahuddin said the coordinated operations already being conducted across the country would continue and could be intensified where necessary. The objective, he said, was to prevent criminal activity and maintain public safety.
The minister also instructed police, Ansar and other law-enforcement agencies to work in a more coordinated manner so that the authorities can respond effectively to threats to public security and maintain control of the overall law-and-order situation.
His comments come amid discussion over the need for stronger action against crime. By ruling out a new special force, the government has indicated that its immediate response will remain within the existing law-enforcement framework.
‘Operation Clean Heart’ carries a controversial history
The reference to Operation Clean Heart is significant because of the operation’s place in Bangladesh’s recent history. Launched in October 2002, the campaign involved the deployment of military personnel alongside other security forces as the authorities sought to tackle crime and restore public order.
According to Human Rights Watch, more than 10,000 people were arrested during the operation, while the campaign was followed by allegations of torture, arbitrary detention and deaths in custody. The organisation subsequently raised concerns over the treatment of detainees and the accountability of security personnel involved in the operation.
The operation ended in January 2003. Its legacy has remained controversial, particularly because of allegations surrounding deaths in custody and other human-rights violations.
That background has made any suggestion of reviving a similar nationwide security campaign a matter of considerable public interest. Against that backdrop, the Home Minister’s latest statement represents a clear indication that the government does not intend to repeat the model of the 2002 operation.
Focus on coordinated enforcement
Rather than introducing a new force or launching an extraordinary nationwide campaign, the government intends to strengthen cooperation among the agencies already operating across Bangladesh.
The minister said the priority was to ensure the safety of ordinary citizens and keep the law-and-order situation under control. Police, Ansar and other relevant agencies have therefore been directed to increase their vigilance and remain more active in their respective areas of responsibility.
The approach places greater emphasis on coordination. Agencies will continue to conduct joint operations where required, while the government seeks to use the existing law-enforcement structure to address criminal activity.
For the authorities, the distinction is important: the government is ruling out an operation comparable to ‘Operation Clean Heart’ while maintaining that coordinated enforcement activities will continue. No separate special joint force has been announced, and the minister said there was no plan to create one.
The government’s message, as outlined by the Home Minister, is therefore focused on strengthening the work of existing law-enforcement bodies. Their combined efforts, rather than a new force or a return to the 2002 model, will remain central to the government’s stated approach to public security and law and order.
