The family, now in Dhaka, is desperate for an audience with the prime minister to disclose names of the kidnappers to her.

"I believe my husband is still alive ... I think my husband was kidnapped due to political rivalry, not for ransom," said Nazma Chowdhury, wife of Jamaluddin.

Nazma along with her son met the home minister yesterday with a plea to resume search for the business tycoon abducted on July 24, and help her secure an appointment with the prime minister.

She also sought protection of her family following recent death threats over phone.

Following the hour-long meeting with the minister, Nazma and her eldest son Forman Reza Chowdhury Liton were ushered by home ministry officials into a room away from waiting journalists and kept there for an hour under police guard.

But newsmen managed to get a few comments as the two was on their way out at around 1:00pm.

"My discussion with the minister was fruitful and he assured me of an appointment with the prime minister," said Nazma, who came to Dhaka yesterday along with her family.

Talking to The Daily Star over phone, Liton said he and his family hoped to get an appointment with the prime minister and request her to help strengthen the search and rescue operation for Jamaluddin as well as authorise security arrangement for the family.

"We will be staying in Dhaka until our meeting with the prime minister," Liton said.

Earlier, Nazma faxed an application to the prime minister seeking an appointment with her, and also pursued the matter with the foreign minister.

Jamaluddin, also a local BNP leader, was abducted from city's Chawkbazar area on July 24. His abductors later demanded a ransom of Tk 1 crore.

One hundred days into the abduction, police have failed to make any headway with the case and can't even tell whether the man is still alive.

Meanwhile, the victim's family gave Tk 25 lakh to the former CMP (Chittagong Metropolitan Police) commissioner and the officer-in-charge (OC) of Kotwali Police Station to secure Jamal's release.

But sources said it is a mystery as to what was done with the money.

The commissioner and the OC were supposed to be quizzed by higher authorities but the idea was also shelved for some reason, sources said.