A global platform for footwear makers yesterday rejected the application of incorporation of Myanmar in the apex body on the ground of ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya by the Myanmar government.The Confederation of International Footwear Associations (CIFA) took the decision at its 36th International Footwear Conference or IFC 2017, held at the Westin Hotel in Dhaka.“We refused to accept the application of Myanmar due to the ongoing ethnic cleansing by the Myanmar government,” said Saiful Islam, chairperson of the CIFA.All 16 member countries of CIFA agreed not to give its membership to the country ruled by Aung San Suu Kyi, said Islam, who is also the president of Leathergoods and Footwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association of Bangladesh.Tofail Ahmed, commerce minister of Bangladesh, attended the event as the chief guest.The purpose of CIFA is to build up a friendly platform for the global shoe and allied industries, for exchanging business information among members and discussing possibility of business collaborations, Islam said. The confederation also seeks opportunity to promote win-win technical cooperation in the footwear sector and work together for the better tomorrows for the shoe and allied industries, he said.Apart from Bangladesh, the other participating countries of the CIFA are China, Cambodia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Taiwan, and Vietnam.
