Floods ease in Bangladesh, 300,000 still in shelters

River waters in low-lying Bangladesh are receding after days of deadly floods but 300,000 people are still in emergency shelters requiring aid, disaster officials said on Sunday.

The heavy floods, which killed at least 18 people in Bangladesh, have added to the challenges of a new government that took charge this month after a student-led revolution.

Rescue teams, including joint forces of the army, air force and navy, are helping those forced from their homes and bringing aid to those who have lost everything, disaster management minister Faruk-e-Azam said.

"The flood situation is improving as the flood water started to recede," Azam told AFP.

More than 307,000 people are in shelters and more than 5.2 million have been affected by the floods, the ministry said.

"Now we are working to restore communication in the affected areas so that we can distribute relief food," Azam said.

"We are also taking steps so that contagious diseases don't spread."

Ordinary Bangladeshis have been crowdfunding relief efforts.

Political turmoil

The floods add to the woes of a nation still reeling from weeks of political turmoil that culminated in the toppling of autocratic leader Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India by helicopter.

She was replaced by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus, who is heading an interim government that faces the monumental task of charting democratic reforms ahead of expected new elections.

Highways and rail lines were damaged between the capital Dhaka and the main port city of Chittagong, making access to badly flooded districts difficult and disrupting business activity.

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