Two Bangladeshi PhD students missing from University of Florida

Abu Sabet: Two doctoral (PhD) students from Bangladesh at the University of South Florida have been reported missing, according to the university’s police department.

Citing police, local media reported that the two were last seen on Thursday. The missing students are identified as 27-year-old Jamil Limon and Nahida S. Brishti. Authorities believe they may be together.

Limon is pursuing a PhD in geography, environmental science and policy. He was last seen at his residence around 9 a.m. Thursday and has not been contacted since. A missing person report has been filed.

Brishti was last seen around 10 a.m. the same day at the university’s Natural and Environmental Sciences building. She is a student of chemical engineering. A separate missing report has also been filed in her case.

Police said the distance between Limon’s residence and Brishti’s last known location is about 10 minutes. They are friends and may have been together, investigators added.

A family friend alerted police shortly before 5 p.m. Friday after failing to reach them. Authorities then launched an investigation and entered their information into the missing persons database.

Limon’s younger brother, Zubayer Ahmed, said the two were close friends and were also in a romantic relationship. He added that they had plans to be together in the future, but there was no indication they would suddenly disappear like this.

However, Brishti’s elder brother, Zahid Hasan Pranto, said that although they had a relationship in the past, they were not currently involved.

On the day she went missing, Brishti left behind her laptop, iPad and lunch box in the lab, carrying only her purse and mobile phone. Limon, on the other hand, left his home with his phone and wallet, but his passport was found at his residence.

Family members said Limon’s phone was last traced near his residence around 11 a.m. Thursday, while Brishti’s phone was last detected on campus around 5 p.m. Surveillance footage has so far not revealed anything suspicious.

Relatives said neither of them are the type to cut off communication without notice. Their sudden disappearance has left both families deeply worried.

The Bangladesh Embassy said it has requested the involvement of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the case. Meanwhile, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement confirmed that the two missing students are not in its custody.

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