16 confirmed dead in Bangladeshi commercial building explosion: official

At least 16 people were killed and many others injured in a massive explosion that took place in a commercial building in the old part of Bangladesh capital Dhaka on Tuesday, an official said.

Mominur Rahman, Dhaka district's administration chief, told Xinhua that "16 bodies have been brought to Dhaka Medical College Hospital from the explosion site."

At least 20 people with critical injuries were admitted to the hospital, he added.

Rahman said rescuers are still working at the site.

Because of the explosion, officials said two buildings -- one seven-storyed and the other one five-storyed -- were damaged at the Siddique Bazar area in old Dhaka.

The incident occurred around 4:50 p.m. local time on Tuesday, the fire service control room said.

The blast occurred at the seven-floor building which housed several stores for sanitary items.

The explosion also reportedly shattered the glass walls of a bank branch located in the building adjacent to it.

Apart from this, it damaged a passenger bus standing on the opposite side of the busy road.

The cause of the explosion could not be known immediately.