BNP this morning staged a three-hour token hunger strike in the capital demanding its Chairperson Khaleda Zia's unconditional release from jail and advanced treatment abroad.

The programme formally began around 11:20am in front of the party's Nayapaltan central office.

Photo: Amran Hossain

As part of its countrywide programme, BNP's Dhaka south and north city units organised the programme, attended by party senior leaders, including secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

BNP leaders and activists holding banners, festoons and placards joined the programme.

The token hunger ended at 2:00pm.

Photo: Amran Hossain

Besides, a similar programme was being held in all district towns and metropolitan cities across the country.

On October 9, BNP held rallies across the country, including in front of its central office in the capital, to press home the demand.

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, the 78-year-old former prime minister, has been undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka under the supervision of a 15-member medical board since August 9.

The medical board at a press conference recently recommended that she be urgently sent to a multidisciplinary centre abroad as there are now no treatment options available for her in Bangladesh.

Khaleda has been suffering from various ailments, including liver cirrhosis, arthritis, diabetes, kidney, lung, heart, and eye problems.

On September 5, Khaleda's brother Shamim Iskandar submitted an application to the government to take her abroad for treatment, but it was turned down.