Bangladesh is battling devastating floods with millions of people stranded and in need of food, clean water and medicine. The floods have added to the challenges of a new government that took charge this month after mass student-led protests.

“What's happened this time is a collision of multiple things, like very heavy rainfall, low depression over the Bay of Bengal which slowed down the drainage of rivers, but then also the breach of the dam in India which caused a massive inflow of water without warnings. They all combined to become this massive catastrophe where the numbers of people devastated are continually going up,” Farhana Sultana, professor of geography and the environment, tells Al Jazeera.

“What we do have to recognize is how quickly the interim government did respond in terms of setting up relief funds, getting out communication messages, mobilizing the civilian corps, but also the Army and Navy corps to basically respond and rescue and recovery. ...So you see an entire country that's galvanized together,” says Sultana.

In an interview with DW News, Sultana says, “What the international community can do right now is actually listen to Bangladeshis, not to anyone else who may have propaganda setting agendas or other political agendas in play. Assess the situation and assist the interim government and the people with rapid assistance and humanitarian aid and also loan forebearance if possible.”