Dhaka, April 30 -- A fire broke out at the Jiban Bima Tower in the city's commercial hub, Motijheel, on Thursday, marking the second such incident in just 17 days.

The recurring fires in the 21-story building have sparked intense panic among thousands of officials and employees of various banks and financial institutions housed there, who now fear for their safety.

Witnesses said smoke was seen billowing from a section of the building around 11:00 am. Panic-stricken employees from Agrani Bank, City Bank, Rajshahi Krishi Unnayan Bank (RAKUB), and several other offices scrambled to evacuate the premises, with many rushing down the stairs to save their lives.

Upon receiving the news, multiple units of the Fire Service and Civil Defence ru...