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At least 16 individuals have perished after a enormous fire broke out at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with officials stating that the fatality count could rise.

16 bodies have been retrieved but were charred impossible to identify, the firefighters stated.

Grief-stricken relatives converged outside the multi-story factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on Tuesday in search of their loved ones still missing.

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

As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, media reports said.

Emergency responders have not established which of the two buildings was the origin point.

According to witnesses, the chemical warehouse contained industrial bleaches, plastic and industrial peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Plastic also produces poisonous gases when combusted.

Law enforcement and armed forces are still trying to locate the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury briefed reporters.

An investigation on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also ongoing, he noted.

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

Present at the scene is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, his loved one.

"When I learned of the fire, I rushed here. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my loved one back," he stated to reporters.

The tragic incident has another time highlighted the safety concerns facing Bangladesh's garment industry, which employs millions of workers and is a major provider of export earnings for the South Asian economy.