They held the demonstration at the base of the Central Shaheed Minar in Dhaka from morning to 4pm on Friday.
Sammilita Sangskritik Jote organised the programme in protest against crimes, acts of sabotage, burning people alive, and destroying of education and economy.
They also demanded that militancy be eliminated.
President of the organisation Golam Kuddus said the time for cultural activists to voice their protest only by singing songs and reciting poems had ended.
“We want to stir their conscience through this mass hunger strike as a last resort,” he said.
He urged all to form a united forum to prevent violence.
Ruling Awami League Joint General Secretary Dipu Moni attended the programme.
“We will have to stop these beasts anyhow,” she said.
Former footballer Sheikh Aslam said sportspersons would stand by the side of the people during any crisis.
Cultural personality Syed Hasan Imam said there was no scope to be neutral in the current situation.
The organisation’s General Secretary Hasan Arif and cultural personality Nasiruddin Yusuf Bachchu were also present at the programme.
The cultural activists sang protest songs and recited poems in the programme.