US Probe into Missing Bangladeshi PhD Students

In the US state of Florida, a tragic case involving two Bangladeshi PhD students has drawn attention after the death of one student and the disappearance of another, both enrolled at the University of South Florida. According to family accounts, the deceased student, Jamal Ahmed Limon, and the missing student, Nahida Sultana Bristi, were in a romantic relationship and were reportedly planning to marry in the near future. This information was provided by Limon’s brother, Jubayer Ahmed.

Quoting family conversations relayed through media reports, including CNN, Jubayer Ahmed stated that Limon frequently spoke positively about Bristi while communicating with family in Bangladesh. He reportedly told them that he had proposed to her and that marriage was under consideration.

Jubayer described Bristi as a talented individual, noting that Limon often praised her abilities, including her singing and cooking skills. He also said Limon had been working intensively on his PhD thesis for the past two years. According to him, Limon was a polite, simple, and consistently cheerful individual who intended to complete his doctoral studies and return to Bangladesh to pursue a teaching career at a university.

Limon, aged 27, was a PhD student in geography, environmental science, and policy at the University of South Florida. Bristi, also a PhD student, was studying chemical engineering.

After nearly ten days of being missing, Limon’s body was recovered by police on Friday. On the same day, Bristi was also reported missing, and search operations for her remain ongoing. As of the time of reporting, US authorities have not issued an official confirmation regarding her status.

A suspect, identified as 26-year-old Hisham Abughazaleh, a US citizen and former roommate of Limon, has been arrested in connection with the case. Law enforcement officials stated that following interrogation, Limon’s body was recovered from the Howard Frankland Bridge area in Florida.

The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office reported that Abughazaleh has been charged with multiple offences, including battery, false imprisonment, tampering with evidence, failure to report a death, and unlawful removal of a body. Officials also confirmed that he was previously a student at the same university.

According to investigators, Abughazaleh was arrested at a residential property where he had been hiding. Tactical response units were deployed to assist in his apprehension. A video released during his arrest showed him exiting a house with his hands raised while wearing only a towel.

He had reportedly been under a court-issued restriction preventing him from entering his family home following a prior domestic violence complaint filed by his brother. Court records indicate he was previously arrested twice in 2023 on assault-related charges, though those cases were later dropped. His brother had also sought to extend a restraining order, which was ultimately not granted by the court.

The University of South Florida confirmed that Abughazaleh studied management at the undergraduate level between 2021 and 2023. University police records also state that Limon and Bristi were last seen on 16 April in Tampa. Limon was last seen at approximately 9 a.m. near his student accommodation, while Bristi was last seen around 10 a.m. at a university science building.

A family acquaintance alerted authorities on 17 April after failing to contact the students, prompting missing persons reports and inclusion in state and national databases.

The Hillsborough County Sheriff, Chad Chronister, described the case as deeply concerning, noting its significant impact on the community.

Key timeline of events

Authorities continue to search for Bristi, while investigations into the circumstances surrounding the case remain ongoing.