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At least 16 individuals have lost their lives after a massive fire started at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with officials cautioning that the number of victims could climb.

Sixteen bodies have been retrieved but were charred beyond recognition, the fire service said.

Grief-stricken relatives assembled outside the four-level factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on Tuesday in looking for their family members still missing.

The blaze, which broke out at the factory around noon, was brought under control after multiple hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse remained ablaze, emergency services said.

Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, news sources said.

Fire department authorities have not established which of the two buildings ignited initially.

Based on eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse stored chemical bleaching agents, synthetic polymers and industrial peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Plastic also emits hazardous smoke when ignited.

Law enforcement and armed forces are still attempting to find the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director the department director informed reporters.

An probe on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also currently underway, he mentioned.

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

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

"When I was informed of the fire, I rushed here. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my loved one back," he told reporters.

The tragic incident has another time underscored the hazardous conditions facing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which employs countless of workers and is a crucial contributor to foreign revenue for the nation.