Amid sound macroeconomic policies, Bangladesh has navigated the Covid-19 pandemic relatively well, says the United Nations (UN). The country's total economic output is projected to expand by 6 percent in 2022, according to the UN's World Economic Situation and Prospects 2022, which was launched recently. Bangladesh economic activities ride on export growth and the rising demand for apparel, robust remittance inflows, and accommodative fiscal and monetary policies, it said. However, the outlook is more challenging for other countries in South Asia, including those more dependent on tourism. In the Maldives, economic activity is gradually improving partly due to a solid rebound in international tourism. But renewed Covid-19 outbreaks, locally and abroad, could easily derail the recovery. The country's gross domestic product (GDP) may remain well below pre-pandemic levels; the risk of debt distress could be high. In Sri Lanka, GDP growth is projected at 2.6 percent in 2022. Its major challenges include food shortages, dwindling foreign reserves and sovereign debt risks. Afghanistan's severe downturn has come amid drastic political changes, a decline in international aid and a lack of access to offshore assets. The worsening situation is leading to extreme poverty and food insecurity with the risk of the entire country becoming a humanitarian catastrophe.