A Dhaka court today sent 377 Ansars, including 2 female members, to jail in four cases over last night's clashes between the force members and students and people in front of the Secretariat gates in Dhaka.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Saifur Rahman passed the orders after police produced them before the court seeking their confinement in jail, a sub-inspector working in the court told The Daily Star.

Of 377 Ansar members, 191 were arrested in a case filed with Shahbagh Police Station. 85 and 95 members were arrested on cases filed with Ramna Police Station and Paltan Model Police Station respectively. Six arrests were made in a case filed with Airport Police Station.

Yesterday, despite the government's assurance of fulfilling their demands, Ansar members continued to demonstrate by blocking the Secretariat gates and clashed with students and people. At least 50 people were injured. 

The clash broke out around 9:20pm as students and other people tried to chase away the protesting general Ansar members, said witnesses.

The situation turned violent after hundreds of students and others, many of them equipped with sticks, went to the Secretariat, hearing that Ansar members blocked the Secretariat even after getting assurance of fulfilling their demand, said witnesses.

The Ansar members are demanding that the government nationalise their jobs.