SYLHET, Jan 5: Saying hartal is no longer a means of protest, finance minister AMA Muhith Saturday favoured a ban on hartal by formulating a law. "Hartal is no longer a means of protest; it's rather violence. Hartal should be banned through legal measures," he said. The finance minister was talking to reporters after attending the divisional conference of Village Defence Party (VDP) at the Sylhet Auditorium in the city. He once again termed the hartal call of the BNP-led 18-party alliance 'an irresponsible decision'. — UNB