However, the increase in foreign exchange reserves witnessed in a number of countries, such as Bangladesh, is a more positive development as such economies are not as exposed to global financial flows, but instead have to maintain sufficient reserves to contend with real external sector shocks. The reserves of Bangladesh and Nepal increased to record levels recently, with those of Bangladesh climbing to more than $13 billion by early 2013 while those of Nepal crossed $5 billion in late 2012, largely on the back of remittance inflows. As was seen during the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis, asset market prices could fall drastically and exchange rates could depreciate substantially, leading to the risk of a banking sector crisis as well as drastic loss of wealth of domestic citizens who invested in such assets.