By Sumi Khan

Dhaka, Jul 2 (IANS): Bangladesh's ruling party, Awami League has sacked a local leader after he humiliated the principal of a college in Narail.

A video of the incident on June 18 showed locals and students putting a garland of shoes around the neck of Swapan Kumar Biswas, the acting principal of Mirzapur United Degree College, in the presence of police, accusing him of "belittling Islam" for his alleged attempt to save a Hindu student from Islamists.

The suspension of the Awami League leader, Akter Hossain Tinku, who is also a teacher at the college, came after he was seen in the video.

Akter was president of Bichhali Union Council Unit of the party.

Meanwhile, education authorities in Narail have banned students from using mobile phones in schools, colleges and madrasas after the incident.

On Friday, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal announced that the government would ensure proper investigation into the incident.

Following the incident, the principal and the student were taken to to the police station.

However, police said the principal was not detained.

The Bangladesh Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education has formed a committee to investigate the incident amid protests across the country.

Swapan has not been staying at home since the incident. His wife said he went into hiding because he was feeling insecure.

The police have so far arrested four suspects.