Issues in implementation of public policies: The involvement of the army in the law and order sector in Bangladesh

Abstract

Bangladesh had been passing through a crisis, acute and unprecedented, for a considerable time. Lawlessness, misadministration, corruption at every level and smuggling had brought the country to the brink of the abyss. It was not possible for the police to restore law and order in the country for a number of reasons, one among which was that a section of them are extremely corrupt and reportedly connive in giving shelter to violent terrorists, drug traders and smugglers. Finding no other alternative, the Government of Bangladesh deployed the army on 17th October, 2002, in a campaign against crime. The operation was given the nomenclature Operation Clean Heart’. Operation Clean Heart’ sent fear into the hearts of those who ruled our lives by fear and held us captive in their reign of terror. It also brought us a sense of relief that is comparable to that of the people when liberating forces enter occupied territories. All said and done, the army campaign has loosened the noose of crime around our necks, however short-lived it may be. This goes counter to the view that programmes which require major organisational changes will be difficult to carry out and are unlikely to be successfully implemented.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Anderson, James E. 1975 Public Policy-Making, New York, Praeger Publication.

Ashan, Mohammad Badrul. 20?2 Operation Clean Heart’. The Daily Star (Daily English Newspaper, Editorial Page), Vol.3, No.1114, 25-10-2002.

Bangladesh: Operation Clean Heart…? Statement of Asian Human Right Commission (AHRC), Bangladesh, November 28, 2002.

Barret, Susan and Fudge, Colin . 1981 ‘Examining the Policy-Action Relationship”, in Barret, Susan and Fudge edited, Policy and Action, Essays on the Implementation of Public Policy, London: Methuen and Co. Ltd.

‘Bangladesh: Impunity for the army unacceptable”, Public Statement of the Amnesty International, News Service No. 011, Al Index: ASA 13/005/2003(Public), 17th January, 2003

Dye R. Thomas . 1972 Understanding Public Policy, Englewbod Cliffs, N.J, Prentice-Hall.

Eyestone, Robert. 1971 The Threads of Public Policy: A Study in Policy Leadership (Indiananpolis: Bobbs-Merrill).

Friedrich, Carl J. 1963 Man and His Government. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Habib, Harun. 2002 ‘Ruling with the Army”, Frontline, India's National Magazine, Vol.19, Issue 25, December 07-20, 2002 The Hindu, New Delhi, India,

10.

Haque, Md Saiful. 2002 ‘Operation Clean Heart: Striking at the root of terrorism and crimes”, The Independent^ Daily English Newspaper) Post Editorial, Dhaka Bangladesh 15-16-17, November, 2002

11.

Hossain, Mohammad Amjad. 2002 ‘Operation Clean Heart’. The Daily Star, Editorial Page, Vol.3, No. 1142, 22–11.

12.

Howlet, Howlett and Ramesh, M. 1995 Studying Public Policy: Policy Cycles and Policy Subsystem. Canada: Oxford University Press, Canada.

13.

Jenkins, Willam I. 1978 Policy Analysis: A Political and Organizational Perspective. London: Martin Robertson.

14.

McLaughlin, Milbery W. 1985 ‘Implementation Realities and Evaluation Design’ in R. Lance Shotland and Melvin M. Mark (eds), Social Science and Social Policy, Sage: Beverly Hill.

15.

Quader, Syed Reza. 2002. ‘Demoralized administration: Army deployment no solution’. The Independent (Daily English Newspaper), (Internet Edition), Dhaka, Bangladesh, December 13.