Ibrahim Ahmed Kamal, founder and lead guitarist of Warfaze, announced on his personal Facebook profile that he is unlikely to travel to the US for the band’s upcoming tour, citing personal tragedy and concerns over freedom of expression.
In the Facebook post, Kamal recalled studying in Minnesota in the 1990s, describing the people he met there as kind and welcoming. However, a fatal car accident on August 11, 1997, which claimed the life of his younger brother Ahmed Ishak Abdullah Konok, had a profound impact on his family. He said the loss left his parents devastated and he chose to leave the US in 1998, never returning since.
Although he applied for a visa in 2024 for Warfaaze’s planned US tour, the application was rejected. He said he has no regrets, adding that the country no longer feels the same to him.
Kamal also expressed discomfort about performing in a place where he believes he cannot freely voice his views on social media. In the post, he wrote: “I do not need to go to a country where I cannot write ‘Free Palestine’ on social media. That country is dangerous for me.”
Reaffirming his artistic position, he said his music has always been intended for Bangladeshi and Bengali-speaking audiences, rather than global expansion; adding that he intends to remain in his own country and continue speaking openly through his work.
