I can't use Log4perl.

I can use Log4perl but I choose not to. Perhaps you can use Sys::Syslog instead - writing to syslog is precisely what it is for, after all. I like Log::Any so I would be using Log::Any::Adapter::Syslog. TIMTOWTDI!

My bash script works just fine with a simple echo statement, but perl does not.

See How to ask better questions using Test::More and sample data. What you have provided here is a description of the problem entirely devoid of details and therefore nobody can help you diagnose or fix it.