University of South Florida Awards Posthumous Doctorate Degrees to Limon and Brishti

The University of South Florida (USF) has awarded posthumous doctorate degrees to Jamil Ahmed Limon and Nahida Sultana Brishti, two Bangladeshi PhD students who were victims of homicide in the United States. This honor was conferred yesterday, Friday, during the USF spring commencement ceremony, as reported by the American media outlet Axios.

Among the more than 280 students receiving doctorate degrees from the university this year were Nahida and Jamil. However, unlike their peers, they were unable to walk across the stage to receive their degrees.

A minute of silence was observed. Photo: Collected

A representative from the Bangladesh Consulate in Miami attended the ceremony to accept the honors on behalf of the families of Jamil and Brishti. A minute of silence was observed in their memory before the commencement proceedings began. Two empty chairs, draped in green, black, and gold royal academic regalia, were kept in their honor.
Brishti and Lemon's certificates. Photo: Collected
Jamil was pursuing a PhD in Geography, Environmental Science, and Policy, while Brishti was a student of Chemical Engineering at the same university. Her professor, Dr. Vinay Gupta, stated that her goal was advanced research in electrochemical processes. In his words, Brishti wanted to be a changemaker and intended to apply her education in Bangladesh.

Notably, 27-year-old Jamil Ahmed Limon and Nahida Sultana Brishti had been missing since April 16. A week later, Jamil’s remains were recovered near the Howard Frankland Bridge in Tampa, Florida. Two days after that, Brishti’s remains were found inside a mangrove forest in the same area.

Hisham Abugarbieh, aged 26, has been arrested in connection with these murders. He faces two counts of first-degree premeditated murder and is currently in custody. Yesterday, Friday, the State Attorney's Office announced that they would seek the death penalty for the accused in the killing of the two students.