Bangladesh Land Measurement Converter

How Land Measurement Works in Bangladesh

Land measurement in Bangladesh uses a unique system that blends traditional Bengali units with British colonial measurements and modern metric standards. The most commonly used units are Decimal (also called Shotok or Shotangsho), Katha, and Bigha. When buying or selling land, legal documents typically reference Decimal as the official unit, though everyday conversations often use Katha or Bigha depending on the region. Government records maintained by AC Land offices use Decimal and Acre as standard units, making it essential to convert between local units and official measurements accurately.

The standard conversion chain is straightforward: 1 Acre equals 100 Decimal, 1 Bigha equals approximately 33.33 Decimal (33 Katha), and 1 Katha equals approximately 1.65 Decimal. Understanding these relationships helps you verify land documents, compare property listings, and negotiate prices with confidence. This converter handles all the math instantly so you can focus on making informed decisions about your land purchase or sale.

Popular searches this page covers include Bangladesh land measurement converter, Katha to Decimal, Decimal to Katha, Bigha to Katha, Shotok to square feet, and land unit conversion for AC Land paperwork. If a seller quotes land in Katha or Bigha, convert it to Decimal and square feet here before checking the deed or comparing price per unit.

Common Bangladesh Land Units Explained

Katha (কাঠা): The most popular unit for residential land in urban and semi-urban areas. One standard Katha equals 720 square feet. Property developers and real estate agents across Dhaka, Chittagong, and Sylhet commonly quote plot sizes in Katha. A typical residential plot ranges from 3 to 10 Katha.

Bigha (বিঘা): Widely used for agricultural land across Bangladesh. One standard Bigha equals 33 Katha or approximately 14,400 square feet. Farmers and rural landowners primarily use Bigha when discussing field sizes and crop yields.

Decimal / Shotok (শতক): The official government unit for land registration. One Decimal equals 435.6 square feet. All mutation records, khatian documents, and porcha entries use Decimal. One Decimal is exactly equal to one Shotok — they are the same measurement with different names.

Kani (কানি) and Gonda (গণ্ডা): Traditional units primarily used in Chittagong division. One Kani equals 40 Gonda in the Chittagong standard. These units are still actively used in land transactions across the Chittagong Hill Tracts and coastal areas.

Regional Variations in Land Measurement

Bangladesh has significant regional differences in land measurement that can cause confusion during property transactions. The most notable variation is the Kani unit. In Chittagong, 1 Kani equals 40 Gonda, which is approximately 2.5 Bigha or 1.5 Acres. However, in Sylhet, 1 Kani equals only 20 Gonda — exactly half the Chittagong standard. This means a property listed as "2 Kani" in Chittagong is twice the size of "2 Kani" in Sylhet.

Even the Bigha unit has subtle regional differences. In Rajshahi and Rangpur divisions, local Bigha measurements can differ slightly from the standard 33 Katha definition used in Dhaka. When dealing with land in these regions, always verify measurements with the local AC Land office and cross-reference with Decimal values on official documents. The safest approach is to always convert everything to Decimal or Square Feet before making comparisons across different regions.

Tips for Buying Land in Bangladesh

Always verify the land area in Decimal on official documents like RS Khatian, SA Khatian, or City Jorip records. Never rely solely on verbal Katha or Bigha quotes — convert to Decimal and cross-check with the deed (dalil). Hire a licensed surveyor (amin) to physically measure the plot boundaries before finalizing any transaction. Check that the total Decimal matches across the mutation certificate, tax receipt, and sale deed. Use this converter to instantly verify any unit conversions quoted by sellers or agents, and keep a record of your calculations for future reference. For related transactions, our BD income tax calculator helps estimate gain tax on land sales, and the BD loan EMI calculator models housing finance options.

Katha to Shotok and 1 Bigha to Katha — Quick Reference Table

The two most-asked Bangladesh land conversions are Katha to Shotok (also called Decimal) and 1 Bigha to Katha. Use these official ratios when reviewing AC Land documents or negotiating real estate prices: 1 Katha = 720 square feet = 1.6529 Shotok (Decimal); 1 Bigha = 33 Katha = 23,760 square feet = 54.55 Shotok (using exact area math) or 33 Shotok (using the simplified 1:1 mauza-mapping). Most modern khatian documents in Dhaka use the exact Shotok figure (54.55), while older records and rural transactions often use the rounded 33 Shotok per Bigha — verify which standard applies before signing any document.

For Sylhet and Chittagong landowners, additional conversions: 1 Kani Chittagong = 40 Gonda = 2.5 Bigha = 82.5 Katha = 59,400 square feet; 1 Kani Sylhet = 20 Gonda = 1.25 Bigha = 41.25 Katha = 29,700 square feet. The two-fold difference between Chittagong and Sylhet Kani is a frequent cause of dispute in inheritance and partition cases — always cite the regional standard explicitly in your sale deed. Cross-reference your land documents with our BD gold price calculator when valuing dowry/streedhan property, and our customs duty calculator for non-resident Bangladeshi buyers bringing equipment or vehicles to a newly purchased plot.

Land Area Calculator Bangladesh — Verifying AC Land Records

The AC Land office (Assistant Commissioner – Land) maintains the authoritative khatian and mutation records for every parcel in Bangladesh. When verifying a plot, request the RS Porcha (Revisional Survey, 1962–1985), SA Khatian (State Acquisition, 1956–1962), or City Jorip / Mahanagar Jorip (urban survey, 1990s onwards) — each gives Decimal-denominated areas signed and stamped by the local Tahshildar. The reported Decimal value should match the physical survey of your amin (licensed surveyor) within 0.5% margin. Anything beyond that suggests a measurement dispute that must be resolved before transfer.

Practical workflow: (1) get the amin to measure boundaries in Square Feet on site; (2) divide by 435.6 to get Decimal; (3) convert Decimal to Katha or Bigha for the seller's quoted price; (4) recompute price-per-Decimal and price-per-square-foot for comparison with neighbouring deals on bproperty.com or Bikroy.com. This calculator does steps 2–3 instantly. For NRB Bangladeshi citizens managing land remotely, also check the family card generator for inheritance documentation, and our India rent receipt generator if you let out a residential property in cross-border arrangements. Cross-Asian property planners may also use the Singapore CPF Life payout estimator when planning retirement income against Bangladesh land assets.

Source: Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics — National Land Use Standards (bbs.gov.bd); Bangladesh Land Records and Surveys Directorate official unit definitions and mauza standards. Khatian classification per Bangladesh State Acquisition and Tenancy Act, 1950 and subsequent amendments. Verify regional Kani/Bigha variations with your local AC Land office before contractual use.

Last updated: 2026-05-03