She gave this call at the premiere of her 90-minute documentary, ‘Janmasathi’, or 'Born Together' at the Bashundhara City's Star Cineplex on Tuesday.

Those present at the event nodded in agreement.

At the end of the film’s screening, Ferdousi said: “It has been a journey that lasted 15 to 16 years. There comes a time when nature says this is the right moment. For, I have not found any ‘War Child’. I don’t want to call them so. I want to call them ‘Victory Child’.

She said she came to be known as a ‘Victory Child’ for being born in a free country. “But those who were born with me came to came to called ‘War Child”, and I wonder, why? This country became independent because of their birth, not mine.”

Ferdousi said if she was born a ‘War Child’, her life may have been pathetic like Sudhir’s (a character from the film). “I may have ended up in a brothel. But if Sudhir was born in my parents’ home, he may have become a Member of Parliament. Sudhir can’t imagine this is possible.”

Referring to rape victims during the 1971 war, she said in a country where motherhood gave women status, some women were criticised for becoming mothers.

“I ask as a mother, can a child be denied dignity simply because of the father’s identity?” she likened the concept of ‘war children’ to genocide.

“We must ask what we have done for them? For the past 45 years we have felt so proud of our independence, but it is we who have also committed this genocide. The War Child should now be called Victory Child. Why must they be forced to hide their lives?” she asked.

"A woman is criticised for becoming a mother in a country where motherhood is considered as the greatest power," Ferdousi said.

She agreed with ICT Prosecutor Tureen Afroz that the idea of ‘War Child’ is like 'genocide'.

Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu pledged to work to meet Ferdousi's demand.

"Both men and women fought in 1971 to save the country and lives. Women had to fight for one more cause - to save honour...Considering this, women made a greater contribution to the cause of independence than men," Inu said.

"It is the State's duty to give honourable lives to the children of these women, who we call victory children or war children," he said.

The information minister said the government started fulfilling its responsibility and sought everyone's help to bring to light such cases.

"Bangladesh was born through the great Liberation War led by the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. That history remains etched forever in our hearts.

"And this documentary is a document of the torture, war crimes our mothers and sisters suffered.

"The nation will never forgive the war criminals and their collaborators. Those who are taking the war criminals' side are actually pro-Pakistani elements in the disguise of Bangladeshis," he added.

Cultural Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Noor said there was no answer to the question - why war children were pushed away - raised by war child Monwara Clarke in the documentary.

"I cry all the time while watching the documentary. An anger also grew inside me. Can't we return to '71 and take arms?” he asked.

Of the three war children on whom the documentary is based, Sudhir Barman and his daughter Janata Barman were present at the premiere.

One of the Liberation War organisers, Barrister M Amir-Ul Islam, former Supreme Court judge Justice AHM Shamsuddin Choudury, bdnews24.com Editor-in-Chief Toufique Imrose Khalidi, leading rights activist Khushi Kabir, and Tureen Afroz were present.

Nasiruddin Yusuf Bachchu, Morshedul Islam and several other filmmakers also attended the function.

The documentary is a joint production of Ekattor Television and the Liberation War Museum.

The event was formally launched by Ekattor Television Editor and Chief Executive Samia Zaman and the Liberation War Museum Trustee and Member Secretary Tariq Ali.

bdnews24.com was the event’s media partner.