Bangladesh has no plan to launch an operation resembling the controversial ‘Operation Clean Heart’ campaign of 2002, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmad said on Thursday, while ruling out the formation of a new special joint force to deal with the country’s law-and-order situation.
The minister made the remarks while responding to questions from journalists after unveiling the foundation plaque for the new headquarters of the Bangladesh Ansar and Village Defence Force in Tejgaon, Dhaka, on 1 October.
Salahuddin said there was no decision to create a separate joint force for maintaining law and order across the country. He also dismissed suggestions that the government was considering a large-scale security campaign modelled on Operation Clean Heart.
“There is no plan to form a special joint force across the country, nor is there any plan to conduct an operation like Operation Clean Heart,” the minister said.
He added that the government had made no public announcement about creating a new force specifically for law enforcement purposes.
Instead, the authorities intend to strengthen ongoing coordinated operations involving existing law-enforcement agencies. According to the minister, these operations will focus on tackling crime and ensuring the safety of the public.
Existing agencies to work in greater coordination
Salahuddin said police, Ansar and other law-enforcement agencies had been instructed to remain more active and vigilant. Their coordinated efforts, rather than the creation of a new security structure, would form the basis of the government’s response to criminal activity and concerns over public safety.
The clarification comes amid discussion over whether a broader joint security operation could be introduced to address law-and-order concerns. The minister said coordinated activities involving existing agencies were part of regular law-enforcement work rather than a new operation carrying the character of the 2002 campaign.
Recent reporting has also indicated that coordinated drives involving agencies including the police, Border Guard Bangladesh, Special Response Battalion and Ansar would continue against crime, extortion and drugs. The government plans to intensify such activities, according to the minister.
The distinction is significant. Rather than announcing a new force or an extraordinary nationwide campaign, the government is presenting the current approach as an expansion of routine joint law-enforcement activities. The emphasis is on coordination among agencies that already have defined responsibilities.
Why the 2002 operation remains a sensitive reference
Operation Clean Heart was launched in October 2002 amid serious concerns over crime and public security. The army-led campaign involved more than 40,000 military personnel and lasted about 85 days, according to Human Rights Watch. More than 10,000 people were arrested during the operation, while the rights organisation documented dozens of deaths in custody and raised concerns about the circumstances surrounding those deaths.
The operation formally ended on 9 January 2003. Its legacy remained controversial because of allegations of arbitrary detention, torture and deaths in custody. A later ruling by Bangladesh’s Supreme Court also referred to allegations of human-rights violations and unlawful acts during the campaign, including illegal arrests, torture and custodial deaths.
The historical record helps explain why any suggestion of a similar operation attracts considerable attention. Human Rights Watch reported at the time that the campaign resulted in serious human-rights concerns, while the authorities maintained that the operation was intended to combat crime and restore public order.
Against that backdrop, the Home Minister’s latest remarks provide a clear statement that the government does not intend to revive that model.
Focus remains on public security
Salahuddin said the immediate priority was to maintain public safety and keep the law-and-order situation under control. Police, Ansar and other relevant agencies have therefore been instructed to strengthen their activities and work in a coordinated manner.
The government’s stated approach is consequently centred on using the existing law-enforcement framework rather than establishing another specialised force. Joint operations will continue where necessary, with greater coordination among the agencies involved.
For the public, the distinction between a regular coordinated drive and a campaign on the scale of Operation Clean Heart is significant. The minister has made clear that the government does not currently envisage the latter, while indicating that enforcement operations against crime and threats to public security will continue.
His comments also place responsibility on the existing law-enforcement agencies to respond more actively to criminal activity. Rather than introducing a new institutional structure, the authorities are seeking to make greater use of the forces already operating across the country.
The message from the Home Ministry is therefore twofold: there will be no new special joint force announced for this purpose, and no return to an Operation Clean Heart-style campaign. At the same time, coordinated law-enforcement drives will be strengthened as the government seeks to maintain public security and address crime across Bangladesh.
