Dhaka, April 25 -- Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury has said the country's commercial banks have been "emptied" due to extreme politicisation of the financial sector over the years.

Speaking at a pre-budget discussion with the Economic Reporters Forum (ERF) at the finance ministry on Saturday, he painted a grim picture of the economy, noting that the interim government's 18-month tenure was not significantly better than the ousted Awami League regime in terms of economic indicators.

"The financial sector became so politicised that the banks are now empty," he added.

Khosru said the stock market has been finished through looting.

"As we try to recover from this, we are facing the massive task of financial sector resolution...