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A minimum of 16 people have lost their lives after a massive fire erupted at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with authorities warning that the death toll could climb.

Sixteen bodies have been recovered but were charred unrecognizable, the fire department said.

Grief-stricken relatives gathered outside the four-level factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on Tuesday in seeking their loved ones still missing.

The fire, which erupted at the factory around noon, was extinguished after several hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse kept burning, officials confirmed.

Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, media reports reported.

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

Based on witnesses, the chemical warehouse stored bleaching powder, plastic and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Synthetic materials also releases poisonous gases when combusted.

Police and military officers are still attempting to find the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director the department director told the media.

An inquiry on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also ongoing, he added.

Crying family members waited outside the burned buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.

Included in the crowd is a man looking frantically for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.

"When I was informed of the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my daughter back," he expressed to reporters.

The devastating event has another time highlighted the safety concerns plaguing Bangladesh's garment industry, which employs countless of workers and is a crucial contributor to export earnings for the South Asian economy.