Zakir Hossain from Dhaka
Two Bangladeshi PhD students of the University of South Florida (USF) who had gone missing in Florida have both died, with the arrest of a roommate intensifying a case that has drawn attention in both the US and Bangladesh.
A family member confirmed Nahida Sultana Brishti’s death on Friday, while Jamil Limon’s body had earlier been recovered from the Howard Frankland Bridge area in Tampa. In a Facebook post, Zahid Hasan Pranto wrote: “My sister is no longer with us.” However, US police had not officially confirmed the recovery of her body or her death at the time of reporting.
Local law enforcement in Hillsborough, Florida, said on Thursday that Limon’s body had been recovered from the bridge area. Earlier reports said it was found in a mutilated condition, though police did not disclose details and said the cause of death remained under investigation.
Police arrested 26-year-old Hisham Saleh Abugharbeh, described as Limon’s roommate, in connection with the disappearances. He is being interrogated. Another report identified him as Hisham Saleh Abugharbieh and said his arrest followed a domestic violence call at his home.
Limon was pursuing a PhD in geography, environment and policy at the University of South Florida, while Nahida was a doctoral researcher in chemical engineering at the same university. Another report described Limon as a postdoctoral student in geography, environmental science and policy.
According to Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister, Limon was last seen on April 16 at his campus residence, while Brishti was seen on campus about an hour later. Friends and university associates had not seen either of them since. Family members told NBC News the two 27-year-olds were a couple, though they were not actively dating.
“We are still actively searching for Nahida,” Hillsborough County Chief Deputy Joseph Maurer had said earlier, before her family confirmed her death.
Local media reports, citing the sheriff, said the charges against Abugharbieh include domestic violence, battery, false imprisonment, tampering with evidence, failure to report a death and unlawfully moving a body.
Authorities said he had a prior arrest record. In September 2023, he faced misdemeanor charges for battery and burglary of an unoccupied residence, and was also charged with misdemeanor battery in May, according to ABC7 New York. Court documents indicate he may have been placed in a diversion programme. Hillsborough County records also showed that a relative filed two domestic violence petitions against him in 2023, one resulted in an injunction, while the other was denied by a judge.