Dhaka, July 13 (UNB) - The eight-hour mass hunger strike programme of opposition BNP, led by party chairperson Khaleda Zia, is underway in the capital to protest police assault on opposition chief whip Zainul Abdin Farroque.

The mass hunger strike began at 10:15 am today (Wednesday) at the premises of the Engineers Institute in the city.

Leader of the opposition Khaleda Zia joined the mass hunger strike at 12 noon as the mass hunger strikers stood up to welcome her at the venue.

Noted singers Monir Khan, Baby Naznin, Rizia Parvin and the JASAS activists have rendered party song and `gano sangeet’ at the venue.

Leaders and activists of BNP and its front and associate organizations joined the mass hunger strike programme. They include Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Brig Gen (retd) Hannan Shah, Barrister Rafiqul Islam Mia, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Abdullah Al Noman, Sadeque Hossain Khoka, Abdus Salam and Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal.

BJP chairman Andalib Rahman Partho MP, JAGPA president Shafiul Alam Prodhan, Shawkat Hossain Nilu of NPP, Zebel Rahman of NAP and Golam Mortoza of NDP also joined the programe.

BNP leaders Shahiduddin Chowdhury Annie MP, ABM Ashrafuddin Nizan MP and Swechchhasebak Dal president Habib-un-Nabi Khan Sohel, among others, spoke to express solidarity with the mass hunger strike.

Opposition Chief Whip Zainul Abdin Farroque, also BNP publicity secretary, received serious injury as he was mercilessly beaten up by truncheon-wielding police near the Sangsad Bhaban at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area in the city on July 6, the first day of the opposition’s countrywide 48-hour nonstop hartal.