Dhaka, Jan. 29 -- An international tribunal has ordered Canadian oil and gas firm Niko Resources to pay $42 million in compensation to state-run Petrobangla over two gas field blowouts in Chhatak, Sunamganj, in 2005.

The confirmation about the order given by the US-based International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) came from Petrobangla Chairman Md Rezanur Rahman on Thursday.

"Niko has been ordered to pay $42 million in compensation," said Rezanur.

Bangladesh will decide its next course of action after receiving the full copy of the verdict, he said.

Though the verdict came on Dec 18, Rezanur said Petrobangla came to know of the outcome on Wednesday.

Along with $42 million for losses in the blowout of 8 billion ...