A man allegedly threw acid on his ex-wife, an employee at a hospital in the capital, yesterday morning. 

As the victim, Rahima Begum (45), a medical assistant at Birdem hospital's Mirpur branch, was leaving the hospital around 6:30am after night duty, her ex-husband Abdul Ali threw acid on her and fled, the victim said.

She was later rescued and admitted to Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery.

Dr Partha Sankar Paul, a resident surgeon there, said she had 12 percent burns on her body, including her face.

According to the victim's family members, Rahima, hailing from Dinajpur's Biral upazila and resident of Kalyanpur's Natun Bazar area, got divorced from Ali three months back.

Yesterday, Ali, helper of a truck driver, met Rahima and threatened her with dire consequences if she does not return to him. She expressed unwillingness to do so, said Miraj Hossain, husband of the victim's sister.

Days after their divorce, Ali beat up Rahima and took away her salary. She filed a general diary with Mirpur Police Station in this regard, Miraj added.

Mustafizur Rahman, officer-in-charge of the police station, said the victim's ex-husband was absconding and the process to arrest him was underway. No case has been lodged so far.