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A minimum of 16 individuals have died after a huge fire erupted at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with officials warning that the fatality count could rise.

16 bodies have been found but were burned beyond recognition, the firefighters said.

Heartbroken relatives converged outside the multi-story factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on that day in search of their dear ones still unaccounted for.

The blaze, which started at the factory around noon, was extinguished after several hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse kept burning, authorities reported.

As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, news sources said.

Fire department authorities have not determined which of the two buildings caught fire first.

Based on witnesses, the chemical warehouse housed industrial bleaches, plastic and chemical peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Plastic also produces poisonous gases when ignited.

Law enforcement and armed forces are still searching for the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the department director briefed journalists.

An probe on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also in progress, he mentioned.

Tearful family members waited outside the burned buildings, many of them holding photographs of their missing relatives.

Present at the scene is a man looking frantically for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.

"When I was informed of the fire, I rushed here. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my daughter back," he stated to journalists.

The devastating event has another time emphasized the security issues affecting Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which employs countless of workers and is a crucial source of foreign revenue for the South Asian economy.