Brishti First Funeral Held

The first funeral prayer (janaza) for Bangladeshi student Nahida Sultana Brishti, who was the victim of a homicide in the United States, was held in the state of Florida, according to official statements shared by a Bangladesh diplomatic representative.

The ceremony took place in Tampa at 2:00 p.m. local time on Wednesday. Students, faculty members from the University of South Florida, and members of the Bangladeshi community attended the funeral prayer. A representative from the Bangladesh Consulate in Miami was also present at the event.

Golam Mortoza, Minister (Press) at the Bangladesh Embassy in Washington, D.C., provided the details in a social media post. He stated that following the funeral prayer, Brishti’s remains were formally handed over to the Tampa funeral authorities for further procedures related to repatriation.

Repatriation arrangements

According to the same official communication, the body of Nahida Sultana Brishti is scheduled to be flown back to Bangladesh on Thursday from Orlando International Airport. The remains will be transported on an Emirates flight. After a transit stop and aircraft change in Dubai, the body is expected to arrive in Dhaka at 8:40 a.m. on 9 May.

A representative from the Bangladesh Consulate in Miami is expected to be present at Orlando International Airport during the departure process. The Bangladesh Embassy in Washington, D.C., is coordinating the overall arrangements in consultation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in cooperation with the Miami Consulate.

Government coordination and related case

Officials have confirmed that the Government of Bangladesh is bearing the full cost of repatriating the remains of both Nahida Sultana Brishti and another Bangladeshi PhD student, Jamal Ahmed Limon.

Earlier, on 4 May, Limon’s body was repatriated to Dhaka. Upon arrival, it was formally handed over to his family.

The two students, both aged 27 and enrolled at the University of South Florida, were reported missing on 16 April. The matter was initially brought to the attention of university authorities by a friend of the students the following day. Subsequently, law enforcement agencies became involved in the investigation.

Limon’s body was recovered on 24 April in a mutilated condition. Two days later, partial remains of Brishti were also recovered by police authorities.

A suspect, identified as Hisham Abughreibeh, a United States citizen and Limon’s roommate, has been arrested in connection with the case. He was taken into custody from his family residence, and judicial proceedings against him have commenced.

Timeline of key events

The investigation into the case remains ongoing under the jurisdiction of United States law enforcement authorities, with diplomatic coordination maintained by Bangladesh missions in Washington and Miami.