Jamalpur: Zamil Ahamed Limon, one of the two Bangladeshi doctoral students at the University of South Florida who were murdered in the United States, was laid to rest in Madarganj upazila of Jamalpur. He was buried at his family graveyard in Laldoba village following a namaz-e-janaza at the Laldoba High School ground after Maghrib prayers.
According to United News of Bangladesh, Jamalpur-3 MP Mostafizur Rahman Babul, Additional District Magistrate Abdullah Bin Rashid, Upazila Nirbahi Officer of Madarganj Sumon Chowdhury, upazila BNP Vice President Abdul Mannan, and Madarganj municipality BNP President Abdul Gafur were among those who attended the janaza. Earlier, around 3:10 pm, Limon’s body reached his home from Dhaka, where hundreds of grieving locals gathered to pay their last respects.
A somber atmosphere enveloped the area as relatives, neighbors, and well-wishers gathered at the house. Limon’s father, Jahurul Haque, called for a fair investigation and speedy trial of those responsible for his son’s death. He expressed his anguish, hoping no other parent would have to endure such a loss while their child pursues education abroad.
Family sources revealed that Limon passed his Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examination from Gazipur’s Maona Model High School in 2014 and his Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) from Birshreshtha Munshi Abdur Rouf Public College in 2016. He graduated from Khulna University before moving to the United States in July 2024 to pursue a PhD at the University of South Florida.
Earlier in the day, Limon’s mortal remains arrived in Dhaka from the US. An Emirates flight carrying the body landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 8:40 am. Following the completion of formalities, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed handed over Limon’s body to his family, assuring them that efforts are being made to bring those involved in the murder to justice.
Shama Obaed also stated that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been diligent in handling the matter. Limon’s first namaz-e-janaza was conducted on April 30 at the Islamic Society of Tampa Bay Area in Florida.
Meanwhile, a janaza for the other Bangladeshi victim, Nahida Sultana Bristy, is scheduled to be held at the Islamic Society at 2:00 pm on May 6. Limon and Bristy, both 27-year-old doctoral students, disappeared on April 16. Limon was last seen at the off-campus complex he shared with murder suspect Hisham Abugharbieh, 26, and another roommate.
Detectives tracked Abugharbieh’s car and Limon’s phone to the bridge where Limon’s body was discovered on April 24, with multiple stab wounds and appearing to be bound. The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office confirmed on May 1 that the second body was Bristy’s.
The suspect was arrested shortly after the incident by a SWAT team at his parents’ home. A court ordered that he be held without bond and prohibited him from contacting witnesses or the victims’ family members. Hisham Abugharbieh faces two counts of first-degree murder with a weapon, among other charges. Prosecutors have yet to decide whether to seek the death penalty.
When questioned, Abugharbieh denied involvement, though detectives noted his bandaged pinky finger. Investigators accessed the apartment with the building manager’s assistance, while a third roommate reported seeing Abugharbieh using a cart to move cardboard boxes from his room to a trash compactor overnight on April 16.