DHAKA (AFP) - A Bangladesh war crimes court sentenced a British-based Muslim leader and a US citizen to death on Sunday in absentia for atrocities committed during the 1971 war of independence.

The International Crimes Tribunal convicted Britain's Chowdhury Mueen-Uddin and Ashrafuzzaman Khan, from the United States, on all 11 charges relating to the murder of 18 intellectuals during the conflict.

"Justice will not be done if they are not awarded capital punishment," senior judge Obaidul Hassan told the packed court.