Bangladesh land units at a glance
Land records in Bangladesh are usually kept in decimals (শতাংশ, also called shotok or satak) and acres. Everyday buying and selling, especially in towns, is often discussed in katha. These are the standard relationships:
| Unit | Square feet | Decimals (shotok) | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Ojutangsho অযুতাংশ | 4.356 | 0.01 | 1/100 of a decimal |
| 1 Chotak ছটাক | 45 | 0.103 | 16 chotak = 1 katha |
| 1 Decimal / Shotok শতাংশ | 435.6 | 1 | 1/100 acre |
| 1 Katha কাঠা | 720 | 1.65 | about 66.89 m² |
| 1 Bigha বিঘা | 14,400 | 33 | 20 katha |
| 1 Acre একর | 43,560 | 100 | about 3.03 bigha |
| 1 Hectare | 107,639 | 247.1 | 2.471 acres |
1 shotok in square feet
One shotok (decimal) is exactly one-hundredth of an acre, so 1 shotok = 435.6 square feet. Some quick values:
| Shotok | Square feet | Katha |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 435.6 | 0.605 |
| 2 | 871.2 | 1.21 |
| 3 | 1,306.8 | 1.815 |
| 5 | 2,178 | 3.025 |
| 10 | 4,356 | 6.05 |
| 33 | 14,374.8 | 19.97 |
Notice the last row: 33 decimals is 14,374.8 sq ft, a little under the 14,400 sq ft of a standard bigha. The bigha is defined as 20 katha of 720 sq ft, and “33 decimals” is the rounded equivalent used in practice.
Katha in Dhaka and other cities
In Dhaka, Chattogram and most cities, plots and flats are priced per katha, and 1 katha = 720 sq ft. A “3 katha plot” is therefore 2,160 sq ft, or about 4.96 decimals. When comparing prices, convert to price per square foot or per decimal so that plots of different sizes can be compared fairly.
Local units: kani, bigha and others
Some traditional units are not the same across the country:
- Kani: common in Chattogram, Noakhali, Comilla and Sylhet regions, but its size differs. 120 decimals is widely used in Noakhali and Comilla, while parts of Chattogram use 40 or 160 decimals.
- Bigha: standard is 33 decimals, but some northern districts traditionally use larger local bighas.
- Gonda, kora, paki and kedar: regional units that also vary by area.
That is why the converter lets you set the kani and bigha size. Ask the local land office or an experienced surveyor (আমিন) which value applies in your mouza.
Need to share land documents online in Bangla? Old documents typed in SutonnyMJ can be converted with our Bijoy to Unicode converter.
Checking official land records
Land records, khatian and mouza maps are increasingly available online through the Ministry of Land e-services. Records usually state area in decimals or acres, which avoids confusion over local units.
Converting land prices between units
Prices are quoted in different units in different places, which makes comparison hard. Convert them to the same unit first:
- Price per katha to price per decimal: divide by 1.6529 (because 1 katha ≈ 1.6529 decimals). Tk 30 lakh per katha ≈ Tk 18.15 lakh per decimal.
- Price per decimal to price per square foot: divide by 435.6. Tk 5 lakh per decimal ≈ Tk 1,148 per sq ft.
- Price per bigha to price per decimal: divide by 33 for a standard bigha, or by your local bigha size.
Always check whether a quoted price includes registration costs and other fees before comparing offers.
Frequently asked questions
How many square feet are in 1 shotok?
435.6 square feet. One shotok (decimal) is 1/100 of an acre.
How many shotok are in 1 katha?
About 1.65 shotok, because 1 katha is 720 sq ft.
How many katha are in 1 bigha?
20 katha, which is 14,400 sq ft or about 33 decimals.
How many decimals are in 1 acre?
100 decimals. An acre is 43,560 sq ft.
How big is 1 kani?
It depends on the area. 120 decimals is common in Noakhali and Comilla, but other districts use different sizes. Set your local value in the converter.