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No fewer than 16 individuals have died after a enormous fire broke out at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with officials stating that the fatality count could increase.

16 bodies have been recovered but were burned beyond recognition, the fire service said.

Distraught relatives assembled outside the multi-story factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on Tuesday in search of their family members still missing.

The fire, which started at the factory around lunchtime, was brought under control after multiple hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse continued to burn, emergency services reported.

Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, media reports reported.

Fire service officials have not ascertained which of the two buildings ignited initially.

Per eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse stored chemical bleaching agents, plastic and industrial peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Polymer products also produces hazardous smoke when burned.

Police and military officers are still searching for the operators of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the fire service official told journalists.

An probe on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also in progress, he added.

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

Included in the crowd is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, his family member.

"When I heard about the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still haven't found her... I just want my daughter back," he stated to reporters.

The catastrophic occurrence has once again underscored the security issues affecting Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which engages countless of workers and is a crucial source of economic income for the South Asian economy.