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At least 16 people have lost their lives after a huge fire erupted at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with officials warning that the death toll could climb.

A total of sixteen bodies have been recovered but were charred impossible to identify, the firefighters stated.

Heartbroken relatives gathered outside the four-storey factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on that day in search of their family members still missing.

The blaze, which started at the factory around midday, was put out after multiple hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse remained ablaze, authorities confirmed.

As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, news sources reported.

Emergency responders have not determined which of the two buildings ignited initially.

According to eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse contained bleaching powder, plastic materials and chemical peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Plastic also produces poisonous gases when combusted.

Security personnel are still attempting to find the owners of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury briefed the media.

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

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

Among them is a man searching desperately for his daughter, his family member.

"When I heard about the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my child back," he told reporters.

The catastrophic occurrence has another time underscored the security issues facing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which employs millions of workers and is a crucial contributor to export earnings for the country.