Two USF doctoral students vanish as relatives call out ‘suspicious’ disappearance: ‘Devastating situation’

Two University of South Florida doctoral students from Bangladesh vanished nearly a week ago, with relatives calling their out-of-character disappearance “suspicious.”

Zamil Limon and Nahida Bristy, both 27 and believed to be dating, were last seen in the Tampa area on the morning of April 16, accordingto the University of Florida Police Department.

Nahida S. Bristy taking a selfie in front of a sunflower field.
Zamil Limon and Nahida Bristy, both 27, were last seen in the Tampa area on the morning of April 16.facebook/USFPD

Zamil Limon, a missing USF doctoral student, smiles at the camera with his arms crossed.
The students, who are both from Bangladesh, are believed to be together and had recently discussed getting married, relatives and police said.facebook/USFPD
Limon, a doctoral student pursuing a degree in geography, environmental science and policy, was last seen at 9 a.m. at his Tampa residence, police said.

Bristy, who was studying chemical engineering, disappeared roughly one hour later after she was last seen at the Natural and Environmental Sciences Building on the university’s campus, according to cops.

Limon and Bristy were reported missing after a family friend told university police that they couldn’t get in touch with either of them. Both of their phones have also been turned off.

The students are believed to be in a relationship and had recently discussed getting married, Fox13 reported.

Police, meanwhile, confirmed the pair are not in ICE custody, the outlet reported.

Family members described each of them as dedicated students who rarely missed a class — raising alarm bells that their disappearance could be “suspicious.”

“He is a very responsible and punctual person, and that’s why the situation is so unpredictable and unusual to us … like, and very suspicious,” Zubaer Ahmed, Limon’s younger brother in Bangladesh, told the outlet.

“We’re in deep pain and [a] devastating situation.”

Ahmed said he spoke to Limon last Monday, when his brother told him he had been busy working on his thesis — researching how to use AI to study Florida’s shrinking wetlands.

The University of South Florida Park sign on the Riverwalk in Tampa, Florida.
Both the students’ phones have also been shut off, and police have confirmed the students are not in ICE custody.Marcus Jones – stock.adobe.com
The concerned brother added that the two students decided to hold off on tying the knot until they received their degrees.

“Another important point that is they talked about having a future together, but they are not that serious about it,” Ahmed said. “Both of them are thinking about whether we can marry together, and they are discussing that.”

Police described Bristy and Limon as “friends” to the outlet.

“Everybody internally is obviously very concerned, as we are concerned. It’s not typical of their behavior, they’re graduate students,” USF Public Safety Public Information Officer Larry McKinnon said. “We don’t have information that there is foul play or suspicious nature at this point.

“When we get to this point where we aren’t having success in locating them, then our next best source is the public. That’s where we are at.”

Cops are urging anyone who has seen the students or knows about their whereabouts to contact the USFPD at (813) 974-2628.