Home
+
Published : 26 Apr 2026, 12:25 AM
A pall of grief has descended on the ancestral home of Nahida Sultana Bristy in Madaripur after reports emerged that the Bangladeshi doctoral student was killed in the United States.
Relatives and local residents began gathering at the family home in Char Gobindapur of Khoajpur Union under Madaripur Sadar Upazila on Saturday, soon after news of the incident reached them.
Many struggled to comprehend the motive behind the killing, while others said they could not come to terms with the loss.
Family members were seen mourning, with neighbours joining them in offering condolences, many in tears.
“We cannot accept this death under any circumstances. We want punishment for those responsible, and we demand that Bristy’s body be brought back to the country,” said Fazila Akter, a cousin of the victim.
Bristy, daughter of Jahir Uddin Akon and Alvi Begum, was a PhD student in chemical engineering at the University of South Florida.
A former student of Noakhali Science and Technology University, she had travelled to the United States on Aug 12, 2025, for study. The family has long been based in Dhaka’s Mirpur.
Bristy and another Bangladeshi student, Zamil Ahmed Limon, had been reported missing earlier.
Limon’s body was recovered on Friday, and police later informed Bristy’s family that she had also been killed, although her body has yet to be found.
US authorities have brought two counts of premeditated murder against Limon’s 26-year-old roommate, Hisham Abugharbieh, who was arrested following the recovery of Limon’s body.
Relatives have demanded justice and called for the return of Bristy’s body to Bangladesh.
Madaripur Sadar Upazila administrator Wadia Shabab said the matter primarily falls under the jurisdiction of the Bangladeshi embassy in the United States.
“If the family seeks any assistance, we will provide it. We are also ready to share any local information if requested by the embassy,” she said.
