Both Bangladeshi PhD Students Found Dead in US; Roommate Arrested

The search for two missing Bangladeshi doctoral students at the University of South Florida (USF) has ended in a devastating tragedy. Following the recovery of Zamil Limon’s body, the death of Nahida Sultana Bristy was also confirmed on Saturday, April 25. Her brother, Zahid Hasan Pranto, shared the heartbreaking news on social media, stating that his sister is no longer with them.

The crisis began on April 16 when both Zamil Limon and Nahida Bristy, both 27, disappeared from the USF area. Limon was last seen at his off-campus home, and Bristy was seen shortly after at a university laboratory. On Friday, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office discovered Zamil Limon’s body on the Howard Frankland Bridge in Tampa Bay. Shortly after, law enforcement arrested Limon’s roommate, 26-year-old Hisham Abugharbieh, who is a former student of the same university.

The arrest of the suspect involved a significant police operation as Abugharbieh barricaded himself inside his family’s home, requiring a SWAT team and negotiators to force his surrender. He now faces several grave charges, including the unlawful movement of a dead body, tampering with evidence, false imprisonment, battery, and failure to report a death. Investigations revealed that the suspect had a prior history of domestic violence and was previously barred from his family home due to an injunction filed by his brother.

Zamil Limon was a respected researcher in the Department of Geography, Environmental Science, and Policy, focusing on using generative AI to monitor environmental changes. Nahida Bristy, an alumna of Noakhali Science and Technology University (NSTU), was pursuing her PhD in Chemical Engineering. The two were reportedly planning to marry and had shared their future plans with their families in Bangladesh.

The USF community remains in a state of shock as students and faculty grapple with the loss of two promising scholars. University President Moez Limayem issued a statement of support for the grieving families, while students described a atmosphere of fear and sadness on campus. While the medical examiner continues to work on the final autopsy results, the Bangladeshi community both in Florida and at home is mourning the abrupt end of two bright academic careers.