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 eternal in Madarganj upazila of Jamapur on Monday evening.
He was buried at his family graveyard at Laldoba village following a namaz-e-janaza at the Laldoba High School ground after Maghrib prayers.
Jamalpur-3 MP Md Mustafizur 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, among others, attended he janaza.
Earlier, around 3:10pm, Limon’s body reached his home from Dhaka, where hundreds of grieving locals gathered to pay their last respects.
A pall of gloom descended on the area as relatives, neighbors and well-wishers crowded the house.
Limon’s father Jahurul Haque demanded a fair investigation and speedy trial of those responsible for his son’s killing. “May no parent ever have to lose a child like this while pursuing education abroad,” he said.
According to family sources, Limon passed his Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examination from Gazipur’s Maona Model High School in 2014 and Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) from Birshreshtha Munshi Abdur Rouf Public College in 2016.
He later completed his graduation from Khulna University.
In July 2024, he moved to the United States to pursue a PhD at the University of South Florida.
Earlier, the mortal remains of Limon arrived in Dhaka from the US in the morning.
An Emirates flight carrying the body landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 8:40 am. On the completion of formalities, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam handed over Limon’s body to his family.
Speaking on the occasion, she said, “We are maintaining communication with the United States. The government is working to ensure that those involved in this murder are brought to justice.”
Shama Obaed further said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not shown any negligence in handling the matter.
From the US, an Emirates flight carrying the mortal remains of Limon departed from Orlando International Airport at 8:50 pm local time on Saturday.
Earlier, Limon’s first namaz-e-janaza was held on April 30 at Islamic Society of Tampa Bay Area, Tampa in Florida.
Meanwhile, janaza for another Bangladeshi victim – Nahida Sultana Bristy – will be held at the Islamic Society at 2:00 pm on May 6.
Limon and Bristy, both 27-year-old doctoral students from Bangladesh, disappeared on April 16. 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 license plate reader data to track Abugharbieh’s car and Limon’s phone to the bridge where Limon’s body was found on April 24. Limon had numerous stab wounds and appeared to be bound, according to a report filed by prosecutors.
On May 1, the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office confirmed the identification of the second body as Bristy’s.
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 April 16 to move cardboard boxes from his room to a trash compactor.
