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A minimum of 16 individuals have lost their lives after a massive fire erupted at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with officials stating that the fatality count could rise.

A total of sixteen bodies have been recovered but were charred impossible to identify, the fire service reported.

Grief-stricken relatives converged outside the four-storey factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on Tuesday in search of their dear ones still not found.

The blaze, which broke out at the factory around noon, was brought under control after several hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse kept burning, officials confirmed.

Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, media reports indicated.

Fire service officials have not established which of the two buildings was the origin point.

Based on witnesses, the chemical warehouse contained chemical bleaching agents, plastic materials and industrial peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Synthetic materials also emits hazardous smoke when combusted.

Law enforcement and armed forces are still attempting to find the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director the fire service official briefed reporters.

An inquiry on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also currently underway, he noted.

Weeping family members waited outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them holding photographs of their lost relatives.

Included in the crowd is a man searching desperately for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.

"When I was informed of the fire, I rushed here. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my loved one back," he expressed to news media.

The devastating event has another time highlighted the hazardous conditions plaguing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which engages countless of workers and is a crucial contributor to economic income for the country.