Tampa: The University of South Florida (USF) community gathered in grief to honour two Bangladeshi students who were murdered last month, with hundreds attending a solemn vigil on campus. Students, faculty, and administrators lined up at Crescent Hill, near the Marshall Student Center, on Friday afternoon to place flowers in memory of Nahida Sultana Bristy and Zamil Limon, said a press release.
According to United News of Bangladesh, participants at the vigil offered condolences and support to the victims’ families and friends. ‘We become the village for one another,’ said Imam Hassan Sultan while opening the programme with a prayer. USF Student Body Vice President Caio Esmeraldi expressed the community’s solidarity with the bereaved families, stating, ‘This entire community is standing with you today.’
Omar Hossain, a friend of both victims, reflected on shared dreams and memories, cherishing the time spent together. Faculty members also paid tribute to the students, describing them as bright, humble, and committed to making a difference. USF President Moez Limayem conveyed the university’s deep sadness over the loss, emphasizing that the community was united in mourning and remembrance.
The vigil took place near the university’s Student Memorial Wall, where names of deceased students are engraved. The names of Bristy and Limon are expected to be added in the coming months, marking their lasting legacy at the university. The deaths have left a profound sense of loss across the campus, with students expressing that their absence will be strongly felt.
The body of Zamil Ahamed Limon, one of the two Bangladeshi students at the University of South Florida who were murdered, will arrive in Dhaka on May 4. Golam Mortoza, Minister (Press) at the Bangladesh Embassy in the US, stated in a WhatsApp message on Thursday that the mortal remains will reach Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on an Emirates flight at 8:40 am on the day. Authorities in Florida have confirmed that the second recovered body is that of Nahida Sultana Bristy, as communicated by Golam Mortoza in a WhatsApp message on May 1.