a second blowout has occurred in the Tengratila gas field in Bangladesh's Sunamganj district in less than six months. Experts say the incident proves the failure of the country's energy ministry in making international oil companies take adequate safety measures and abide by local laws. The Tengratila field is a joint venture of the state-owned oil and gas company Bapex and Canadian oil company Niko. The explosion on June 24, 2005, came less than a week after a former minister of state had to resign for soliciting a gift (a luxury car, with registration papers in the name of Bapex) allegedly to favour Niko in settling damage claims over the January 2005 blowout in the same field (see Down To Earth,