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A minimum of 16 people have died after a huge fire broke out at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with officials cautioning that the death toll could increase.

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

Grief-stricken relatives converged outside the multi-story factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on that day in looking for their dear ones still missing.

The fire, which started at the factory around lunchtime, was extinguished after multiple hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse remained ablaze, officials confirmed.

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

Fire department authorities have not ascertained which of the two buildings was the origin point.

Based on witnesses, the chemical warehouse stored bleaching powder, plastic and industrial peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Plastic also produces poisonous gases when combusted.

Law enforcement and armed forces are still searching for the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury told the media.

An inquiry on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also currently underway, he noted.

Crying family members gathered outside the burned buildings, many of them holding photographs of their missing 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 loved one back," he told news media.

The catastrophic occurrence has yet again underscored the security issues plaguing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which engages numerous of workers and is a major contributor to foreign revenue for the nation.