Dhaka: The Cabinet approved the draft amendment to the Protocol on Inland Water Transit and Trade (PIWTT) between India and Bangladesh, aiming to extend its timeframe.

The approval was given at the regular meeting of the Cabinet held on Monday at Bangladesh Secretariat with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.

Cabinet Secretary M Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan ata briefing to the reporters after the meeting said the draft amendment mentions that the Protocol will be renewed after every five years instead of the current norm of three years.

The meeting Secretary of the Cabinet Division (Reforms and Coordination) M Nazrul Islam said the amendment has proposed some basic changes in the protocol agreed upon in the secretary level meeting of the two countries.

Another important proposal is keeping provision to include any third country in the protocol; Nazrul Islam said, adding that Nepal and Bhutan are the initial targets and the names will be specified later.

Secretaries concerned of the two countries in a meeting in New Delhi on 20 April, 2015 have initiated the proposal and it was reviewed in the inter-ministerial meeting later, Nazrul said.

The last amendment to the PIWTT was held in April 2011 and its duration has been expired on 31 March, 2015.