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At least 16 people have perished after a enormous fire started at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with officials warning that the number of victims could increase.

A total of sixteen bodies have been found but were charred unrecognizable, the fire service reported.

Distraught relatives gathered outside the multi-story factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on Tuesday in looking for their family members still unaccounted for.

The blaze, which started at the factory around lunchtime, was brought under control after multiple hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse remained ablaze, authorities confirmed.

Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, news sources said.

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

Per bystanders, the chemical warehouse housed chemical bleaching agents, plastic materials and industrial peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Synthetic materials also produces hazardous smoke when ignited.

Security personnel are still attempting to find the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the fire service official briefed journalists.

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

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

Among them is a man looking frantically for his daughter, his loved one.

"When I learned of the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my child back," he stated to reporters.

The catastrophic occurrence has another time underscored the security issues facing Bangladesh's garment industry, which provides jobs for countless of workers and is a significant source of foreign revenue for the nation.