8,000 miles from home, Bangladeshi students stand in for slain friends in US court
The prime suspect in the killings of two Bangladeshi PhD students of the University of South Florida has been ordered held without bond on murder charges, as a Tampa courtroom filled with friends of the victims demanding justice, Tampa Bay 28 reported.
With the families of the victims -- Zamil Limon and Nahida Bristy, both 27 -- still in Bangladesh, their classmates and friends stood in for them during Tuesday’s hearing for suspect Hisham Abugharbieh.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. 
“What you need to understand is that we Bangladeshi people, we live as a family here,” said Abir al Hasib Shourav, a friend present in the courtroom.
"It is a lot to process. When we come here, 8,000 miles away from home, these people become our family or everything here, and we meet them at all events," another friend, Rifatul Islam, said.
"It is not acceptable. We are shocked that the place that should be our safe place -- our home, our own rooms, our own kitchens -- they were murdered there. I don't know what to say; there is no words for that," he added.
Hillsborough County Judge J Logan Murphy ordered Abugharbieh to have no contact with witnesses or relatives. He faces two counts of first‑degree murder with a weapon, alongside other charges.
Prosecutors expect to present the case to a grand jury on May 7, with the possibility of capital punishment if convicted.
State Attorney Suzy Lopez praised the Bangladeshi students’ presence. “It’s wonderful to know their friends are embracing the two people they’ve lost and want to be part of this process to get justice.”
Investigators said a third roommate told them that Abugharbieh used a cart to dispose of evidence, including Limon’s belongings stained with blood.
Detectives later found blood traces in his bedroom and Bristy’s ID cards in Limon’s room. Court records also revealed Abugharbieh had asked ChatGPT about disposing of a human body days before the pair vanished.
Limon’s body was discovered near a bridge. Investigators believe Bristy was also killed, though her body has yet to be found.
The Bangladeshi Student Association has urged USF to honour the victims with monuments, posthumous degrees, and annual commemorations. A fundraiser launched to support their families, by Zamil's graduate adviser, has already raised over $80,000.
Comments