Bangladesh's highest court on Wednesday upheld the death sentence handed down to a top opposition politician for war crimes during the country's 1971 independence conflict against Pakistan.

The Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice S.K. Sinha, dismissed Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury's appeal against a death sentence handed down by a controversial war crimes tribunal two years ago, an AFP correspondent at the court said.

In a brief judgement Sinha said the court "maintained" the death sentence for genocide and torture against 66-year-old Chowdhury, who is a senior member of the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).