Murdered in US, Limon starts final journey home in coffin

Zamil Ahamed Limon, one of the two Bangladeshi doctoral students at the University of South Florida who were murdered in the United States, has begun his final journey home in a coffin.

An Emirates flight carrying his mortal remains departed Orlando International Airport at 8:50pm local time on Saturday (2 May). The flight, transiting via Dubai, is expected to land at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka at 8:40am tomorrow (4 May).

Seheli Sabrin, Consul General of the Consulate General of Bangladesh in Miami, and Consul Tuing Aye were present at the airport and oversaw the repatriation process, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today.

Following the recovery of Limon's body on 25 April, the Bangladesh Embassy in Washington, the Consulate General in Miami, the victim's family, the authorities of the University of South Florida, members of the Bangladeshi community in Tampa, and the relevant local police worked in coordination to complete legal formalities and ensure the earliest possible repatriation.

Earlier, Limon's first namaz-e-janaza was held after Zuhr prayers on Thursday (30 April) at the Islamic Society of Tampa Bay Area mosque in Florida, attended by students of the University of South Florida, members of the Bangladeshi community, media representatives, and officials from the Bangladesh consulate.

Meanwhile, the body of the other Bangladeshi victim, Nahida Sultana Bristy, was identified on Friday, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.

With the consent of her family, the Bangladesh Consulate in Miami has requested the Pinellas County Medical Examiner's Office to release her body to the same funeral home for repatriation.

The Bangladesh Embassy in Washington and the Consulate General in Miami are jointly working to send her body to Bangladesh at the earliest possible time, the ministry added.

Limon and Bristy, both 27-year-old doctoral students from Bangladesh, disappeared on 16 April. Limon was last seen at the off-campus complex where he shared an apartment with murder suspect Hisham Abugharbieh, 26, and another roommate.

Detectives used cellphone location and licence plate reader data to track Abugharbieh's car and Limon's phone to the bridge where Limon's body was found on 24 April. Limon had numerous stab wounds and appeared to be bound, according to a report filed by prosecutors.

The suspect was arrested days after the incident by a SWAT team at his parents' home. A court ordered that he be held without bond.

Hisham Abugharbieh has also been barred from contacting witnesses or the victims' family members, Hillsborough County Judge Logan Murphy said during a brief hearing in Tampa.

According to court records, Abugharbieh faces two counts of first-degree murder with a weapon along with other charges. He could face the death penalty if convicted, though prosecutors have not yet said whether they will pursue capital punishment.

When questioned days after the couple disappeared, Abugharbieh denied involvement, though detectives noted that his pinky finger was bandaged, according to a pretrial detention report.

Investigators later gained access to the apartment with the help of the building manager. A third roommate told police that Abugharbieh had used a cart overnight on 16 April to move cardboard boxes from his room to a trash compactor.