Six top Jamaatul Mujaheedin Bangladesh militants, convicted of carrying out a string of bombings in 2005 that left two judges dead, were hanged early on Friday.

The six militants - Shaikh Abdur Rahman, Siddiqul Islam alias Bangla Bhai, Abdul Awal and Khaled Saifullah, Ataur Rahman Sunny and Iftekhar Hasan Al-Mamun - were executed in four separate prisons in Bangladesh, a private TV channel reported.

'Bangla Bhai' was hanged in northern Mymensingh district jail and his body was sent to his home village in Bogra district.

Families of two militants have confirmed that they have been executed.

Seven members of the banned group, which wants to establish Islamic rule in Bangladesh, were sentenced to death for the killings in the southern town of Jhalakathi.

One of the convicted militants is on the run.

President Iajuddin Ahmed recently turned down their mercy petitions paving the way for the executions.

Security was tightened across Bangladesh to thwart attempts of attacks by JMB men still at large. Security personnel recently arrested a number of JMB men with weapons as well as explosives.