The brutal killing of two Bangladeshi PhD students at the University of South Florida in Tampa has plunged the global Bangladeshi community into grief. The first funeral prayer for Jamil Ahmed Limon was held on Thursday, April 30, at 2:00 PM local time at a mosque on East Sligh Avenue in Tampa. His body is scheduled to arrive in Dhaka at 8:40 AM on May 4 via an Emirates flight.
Students from USF, Limon’s aunt, the Consul General of Bangladesh in Miami, members of the media, and members of the Bangladeshi diaspora attended the funeral.
Both Jamil Limon and Nahida Sultana Brishti were 27-year-old PhD students from Bangladesh. Limon was pursuing his doctorate in geography, environmental science, and policy, while Brishti was a PhD researcher in chemical engineering. Limon had dreamed of returning to Bangladesh after completing his PhD to become a university professor.
The two had been missing since the morning of April 16. Limon was last seen around 9:00 AM at his residence on Avalon Heights Boulevard in Tampa, while Brishti was last seen around 10:00 AM at the NES building on the USF campus. The following day, April 17 at approximately 4:50 PM, a family friend reported their disappearance to university police, leading to a missing persons report.
On April 24, Limon’s body was recovered from the Howard Frankland Bridge. His remains had been placed in a heavy-duty trash bag and left on the bridge. The autopsy revealed multiple sharp-force injuries, including a deep stab wound to the lower back that penetrated his liver.
On April 26, another body was recovered south of the bridge, also inside a black trash bag. Surveillance footage showed the individual wearing clothing similar to what Brishti was last seen in; however, authorities have not yet officially confirmed the identity.
On the same day, Limon’s 26-year-old roommate, U.S. citizen Hisham Abugharbieh, was arrested. He faces seven charges, including two counts of first-degree murder, unlawful disposal of a body, failure to report a death, destruction of evidence, false imprisonment, and battery.
Investigators say the suspect purchased duct tape, trash bags, lighter fluid, and fire starters from Amazon prior to the killings and searched for ways to dispose of a body on ChatGPT. A judge has ordered that he be held without bond pending trial.
Mohammad Arian Ullah, a member of the Bangladesh Students Association, said that funeral rites are being conducted according to Islamic traditions in line with the family’s wishes. A similar funeral arrangement will be held for Brishti once her body is officially identified. A memorial event has also been scheduled at the university on May 1.
Limon and Brishti were among approximately 20,000 Bangladeshi students studying in the United States. Their deaths have sparked grief and anxiety across the student community. The loss of these two young lives has left the Bangladeshi community in shock.
Brishti’s body has not yet been officially recovered. Although dismembered remains were found and sent for autopsy, no report has been released so far. The motive behind the killings remains unclear. The suspect’s mental state has become a subject of discussion among investigators and the public.
Authorities have also warned against the spread of unverified rumors on social media, urging the public to refrain from sharing information without confirmation.
Investigators say Hisham Abugharbieh has provided misleading statements during questioning. They are currently analyzing the sequence of events and forensic evidence to substantiate the charges. A court-appointed attorney is representing him. The case is expected to be presented to a grand jury soon, and the legal process may take several months. Under Florida court procedures, some of these steps may proceed without requiring the suspect’s physical presence in court. Key priorities remain confirming Brishti’s identity and determining the motive behind the killings, as the investigation continues.
