Yellow and black cabs were introduced on the streets of Dhaka in 1999 but their looks and conditions have deteriorated rapidly in just six years.

"I would prefer taking a CNG three-wheeler anytime as the interior of cabs are often tacky and dirty," said Sultana Rabeya, a resident of Uttara.

The yellow and black cabs have been the objects of such complaints over the last few years. Commuters are less interested in using black cabs as engines of most make an irritating whirring sound. The doors do not lock properly and most vehicles have problems with the windows.

Some of these cabs are stinky inside and the drivers do not seem to care, complained commuters.

Yellow cabs on the other hand, are better maintained but pose problems of a different kind.

“Some cabs have broken gears, torn seat belts and wires hanging out of the dashboard. And the air-cooling system often do not work although the drivers charge the same rate," said Afsar Wahid, another commuter.

"The sorry state of the cabs can be attributed to the reckless driving habit of most drivers," said Rahima Sharif, a resident of Mirpur. Some other passengers blamed drunk driving for the terrible condition of the cabs.

Cabdrivers defended themselves against such allegations.

"A cab usually runs at least 200 kilometres every day while private cars do not go that distance even in a week," said Yusuf, a yellow cab driver. Yusuf claimed that this was the main reason for the pathetic state of the vehicles.

"Each cab is handled by at least three drivers in a week and their driving habits are not the same either," said another cab driver.

Other drivers pointed out that driving at speed was a necessity in order to make at least 1,500 Taka a day.

"We have to pay a daily rent of 800 Taka on a cab and additional expense for fuel usually amounts to around 200 Taka," said Yusuf.

"Actually, the cab owners should be blamed for being apathetic about maintenance of these cabs and also for not properly training the drivers," said Anwarul Islam Tareque, general secretary of Cab Owners Association of Bangladesh (CAB).