"About 300 army men were deployed here during the Operation Clean Heart and the result is well known," said the IGP, hinting at the futility of law enforcement endeavours in the area where police believe Chittagong business magnate Jamaluddin Ahmed Chowdhury is being held by his abductors.

The IGP's pessimistic observations came during his visit to Fatikchhari yesterday when local Union Parishad Chairman Shahjada Rabiul Hossain Miah urged him for more reinforcements there to speed up operations to rescue Jamaluddin.

However, the IGP reaffirmed his belief that the abducted businessman is alive and being held hostage at Fatikchhari.

"As per available information, I believe Jamaluddin is still alive," he said while talking to a group of journalists at the upazila.

"The rescue operation would be strengthened with new guidelines and plan of action," he added without elaborating.

But unlike on Saturday when he gave a 48-hour deadline to rescue Jamaluddin that expired without any headway, he declined to announce any fresh deadline for rescue.

Businessman Jamaluddin, also a BNP leader, was abducted from Chittagong's busy Chawkbazar area over a month ago.