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No fewer than 16 people have perished after a huge fire started at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with authorities warning that the death toll could rise.

A total of sixteen bodies have been found but were incinerated impossible to identify, the fire department stated.

Grief-stricken relatives assembled outside the four-level factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on that day in search of their loved ones still unaccounted for.

The inferno, which started at the factory around lunchtime, was brought under control after several hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse remained ablaze, emergency services said.

As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, journalistic accounts reported.

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

Per bystanders, the chemical warehouse contained chemical bleaching agents, synthetic polymers and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Plastic also releases hazardous smoke when burned.

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

An inquiry on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also ongoing, he noted.

Tearful family members stood outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them holding photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.

Among them is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.

"When I heard about the fire, I rushed here. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my child back," he stated to journalists.

The catastrophic occurrence has yet again highlighted the hazardous conditions plaguing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which employs numerous of workers and is a significant contributor to export earnings for the country.