No law to ban hartal

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday ruled out the possibility of passing any law banning hartals, saying everything cannot be solved by enacting laws.
"I cannot say anything about it at this moment. It depends on the people. If people want...then all members of the parliament may take a decision in this connection," she said while participating in a question-answer session of the parliament.
The session began at about 5:00pm with Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury in the chair.
Responding to a supplementary question by MA Hannan from Mymensingh–7 constituency, the PM told the House that observing political programmes is a basic right of political parties.
“That's why I do not want to make any comment in this connection,” she said stressing the need for creating mass awareness against all sorts of vandalism in the name of all political activities.
Referring to the BNP-led 18-party alliance's movement throughout last year and before January 5 general elections, Hasina, also the leader of the House, said the mayhem carried out during those times was in no way a political movement.