The University of South Florida (USF) has decided to award posthumous doctoral degrees to two Bangladeshi PhD students, Zamil Ahmed Limon and Nahida Sultana Bristy, who were brutally killed by Limon's roommate in the Florida.

The decision will be formalised at the university’s spring convocation on May 9, according to a Facebook post by Golam Mortoza, press minister at the Bangladesh Embassy in the US.

Citing an official communication from the university, he said the USF formally informed the Bangladesh Consulate in Miami of the decision through a letter dated yesterday.

The university has requested that a representative of the consulate attend the convocation to receive the honours on behalf of the bereaved families.

In a separate update, Golam Mortoza said the body of Nahida Sultana Bristy is scheduled to arrive in Dhaka on May 9.

He said her body will be flown from Orlando International Airport, Florida, tomorrow at 8:50pm (local time) on Emirates flight EK 0220 to Dubai, and then onward on EK 0582, arriving in Dhaka at 8:40am on May 9.

The process is being overseen by the Bangladesh Consulate in Miami, while the Bangladesh Embassy in Washington, DC, is coordinating arrangements in consultation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The first namaz-e-janaza for Bristy is scheduled to be held in Tampa at 2:00pm (local time) today.