Environment and Forest Ministry on Monday demanded damage compensation from Canadian explorer Niko for the devastating fire at the Tangratila gas field upsetting the environmental systems around the ravaged exploration scene, reports BSS.

"Niko was summoned at the ministry when Environment and Forest Minister Tariqul Islam asked the Canadian explorer to compensate the damage," an environment ministry spokesman said.

Niko Bangladesh president Kashem Sharif and adviser G Nuruzzaman Bablu explained the background of the accidental fire and the initiatives of the company for immediate rehabilitation of the people at the neighbourhood of the ravaged field.

The fire still blazing at the scene, 30 kilometres off northeastern Sunamganj, since January 8, when a staged fire to avert a major blow out in a gas field went out of control causing havoc forcing people in nearby villages to flee their homes for safety.

State Minister for environment and forest Kazi Jafrul Islam, director general of department of environment M Ibrahim Hossain and other concerned officials of the ministry were present at the meeting.

According to officials familiar with the meeting, Niko said that the fire too caused a huge damage to the company destroying expensive equipment including a rig.

"We told them you will get insurance coverage for your equipment but what we will get for the massive damage of our environment, crops, fisheries and gas," an official who joined the meeting told BSS.

He said the minister also blasted Niko for not having adequate safety arrangements to face such fire as an extra rig was yet to reach the scene for directional drilling to put off the blaze.

Tariqul asked Niko to ensure increased assistance for the affected people saying Taka 5,000 for them each was "very inadequate", the official said.

Meanwhile, the environment ministry investigation committee headed by the director general is expected to submit its report in next two days.

But officials familiar with the investigation process said the committee found the eruption of sands like lava destroyed standing crops on a vast area around the scene during the fire, which also destroyed fisheries particularly at a natural water body at the south-west of the gas field.

Besides, they said, the fire burnt a number of trees, forced thousands of migratory winter birds to fly out and destroyed habitats of local bird species in a vast area.

The environmental officials said although there was no casualty, the trauma still prevailed among the local residents who after several days of exile in safer places returned to their homes.

But bubbling gas in the muddy soil still scared to lit fire for cooking fearing this might ignite fresh fire.

The government earlier formed a high powered national committee with additional secretary of the Energy and Mineral Resource Ministry to investigate into the fire and assess the damage.