Dhaka, May 9 (IANS): Around 800 bodies had been retrieved in Bangladesh's building collapse till Wednesday evening as the grim recovery work continued a fortnight after the country's worst industrial tragedy which occurred on the outskirts of Dhaka.

The rescuers continued their relentless efforts to search for more bodies as the stench of decaying bodies still remained around the ruins of the Rana Plaza building which crumbled on the fateful morning of April 24, Xinhua reported.

While local media, put the toll at 803, after more than two dozen bodies were recovered Wednesday, the authorities confirmed 766 deaths till afternoon.

"The death toll of the building collapse has risen to 766 till 2.00 p.m. Wednesday," said Yusuf Harun, administrative chief of Dhaka district.

Following the cracks detected just a day before the disaster, the workers were evacuated and garments authorities declared a leave for April 23.

But none bothered about the cracks when officials of the factories in the building forced the workers to join workplaces the next morning.

Six floors of the building housed the five garment factories which, according to the months-old data of the owners' association, employed nearly 3,122 workers, mostly women.

There were hundreds of shops inside the building and a bank branch.

Rescuers have pulled alive more than 2,437 people after the eight-storey building collapsed.