India and Bangladesh have decided to renew the existing Inland Water Transit and Trade, IWTT Protocol between the two countries for another year through exchange of letters. Talking to reporters in Dhaka on Monday, Bangladesh's Shipping Secretary Abdul Mannan Howlader said the existing agreement is being renewed without any amendment and will remain in force till March 2013.

Both the countries are hoping to use the extended period for further discussions to finalise changes in the existing protocol based on the issues raised during the recent meeting of the standing committee of the IWTT protocol which was held in Dhaka in the month of February.

Bangladesh has been demanding raising of fees while India is pressing for full fledged operationalisation of Ashuganj port in Bangladesh.

Meanwhile India's High Commissioner to Bangladesh Mr. Pankaj Saran called on Bangladesh's Shipping minister Shahjahan Khan on Monday in Dhaka during which bilateral issues related to shipping were discussed.