A special court in Bangladesh set up to try war crimes suspects from the country's 1971 battle for independence has delayed the start of its first trial.

The prosecution was due to make an opening statement on Sunday against Delwar Hossain Sayedee, a leader of the opposition Jamaat-e-Islami party who is charged with 20 counts of crimes against humanity and genocide.

Sayedee denies the charges, which includes mass murder, rape, looting, arson, and forcing Hindus to convert to Islam.

Stephen Kay, an international criminal lawyer told Al Jazeera the tribunals are unfair.