Land Measurement System in Bangladesh | Complete Formula Guide
Definitive Real Estate Guide

Land Measurement Systems in Bangladesh

Navigate property deeds, Porchas, and traditional Khatians with our comprehensive breakdown of Decimal, Bigha, Katha, Kani, and regional variations.

1. The Standard Units

At the core of the Bangladeshi land measurement system are the standard units heavily utilized in modern property deeds and government records. The Decimal (locally known as Shotok or Shotangsho) acts as the universal base unit.

  • 1 Decimal (Shotangsho/Shotok) = 435.6 Square Feet (approx) = 100 Ojutangsho
  • 1 Katha (Cottah) = 1.65 Decimal = 165 Ojutangsho = 720 Square Feet
  • 1 Bigha = 33 Decimal = 20 Katha = 14,400 Square Feet
  • 1 Paki = 1 Bigha = 33 Decimal
  • 1 Acre = 100 Decimal = 3 Bighas 8 Chotak = 43,560 Square Feet

2. Kani & Gonda System (Detailed)

For highly precise measurements, especially in rural areas, a micro-system cascading down from the Kani is used. Below are the exact formulas across different metrics (Square Link, Square Hat, Square Feet, Square Yard, and Square Meter).

Base Kani & Gonda Hierarchy

  • 1 Kani = 20 Gonda = 120 Decimal (Standard)
  • 1 Gonda = 4 Kora
  • 1 Kora = 3 Kranti (or Kontho)
  • 1 Kranti = 20 Til
  • 1 Til = 30 Renu

As Square Feet (Based on 8 Hat Nol)

  • 1 Kani (20 Gonda) = 17,280 Sq. Feet
  • 1 Gonda (4 Kora) = 864 Sq. Feet
  • 1 Kora (3 Kranti/Kontho) = 216 Sq. Feet
  • 1 Kontho (6 Donto) = 72 Sq. Feet
  • 1 Dondho (7 Dhul) = 12 Sq. Feet
  • 1 Dhul (30 Renu) = 1.71 Sq. Feet
  • 1 Renu = 0.057 Sq. Feet

As Square Link & Square Hat

  • Sq Link: 1 Kani = 40,000 Sq. Link
  • 1 Gonda = 2,000 Sq. Link | 1 Kora = 500 Sq. Link
  • 1 Kranti = 160.66 Sq. Link | 1 Til = 8.33 Sq. Link
  • Borgo Hat: 1 Kani = 7,680 Borgo Hat
  • 1 Gonda = 384 Hat | 1 Kora = 96 Hat
  • 1 Kranti = 32 Hat | 1 Til = 1.6 Hat

As Square Yard & Square Meter

  • Sq Yard: 1 Kani = 1,936 Borgo Gaz
  • 1 Gonda = 96.8 Gaz | 1 Kora = 24.2 Gaz
  • 1 Kranti = 8.06 Gaz | 1 Til = 0.40 Gaz
  • Sq Meter: 1 Kani = 1,605 Sq. Meter
  • 1 Gonda = 80.25 M² | 1 Kora = 20.06 M²
  • 1 Kranti = 6.68 M² | 1 Til = 0.334 M²

3. Acre & Shotok System

Formula of Acore and Shotok: Length 10 Chain * Width 1 Chain = 10 Square Chain = 1 Acore (Acre).

1 Chain = 66 Feet = 44 Hat = 22 Gaz/Yard = 20.12 Meter = 792 Inchi = 100 Link.

1 Acre Equals 1 Shotok (Decimal) Equals
10 Square Chain435.6 Square Feet
100 Shotok1,000 Square Link
43,560 Square Feet193.6 Borgo Hat
19,360 Square Hat48.40 Borgo Gaz (Yard)
4,840 Borgo Gaz (Square Yard)40.47 Square Meter
4,047 Square Meter
1,00,000 Square Link
3 Bigha 8 Chotak
60.5 Kattah
2 Kani 10 Gonda (40 Shotok system)

4. Bigha, Kattah & Chotak Specifics

Standard Equivalencies

  • 1 Bigha = 20 Kattah = 33 Shotok
  • 1 Bigha = 80 Hat (linear) or 6400 Square Hat
  • 1 Bigha = 33,000 Square Link
  • 1 Bigha = 1,600 Borgo Gaz (Square Yard)
  • 1 Bigha = 14,400 Square Feet
  • 1 Bigha = 1,338 Square Meter
  • 1 Bigha = 16 Gonda 2 Kora 2 Kranti

Granular Calculations

  • Hierarchy: 4 Kak = 1 Kora | 4 Kora = 1 Gonda | 16 Chotak = 1 Kattah | 20 Kattah = 1 Bigha | 20 Gonda = 1 Chotak | 6 Bigha = 1 Gonda (historical alternative)
  • As Hat: 1 Bigha = 80 Hat, 1 Kattah = 4 Hat, 1 Chotak = 0.25 Hat, 1 Gonda = 0.0125 Hat, 1 Kora = 0.0031 Hat, 1 Kak = 0.0007 Hat
  • As Bargohat: 1 Bigha = 6400 Bargohat, 1 Kattah = 320 Bargohat, 1 Chotak = 320 Bargohat (per traditional tables)
  • As Square Feet: 1 Bigha = 14,400 Sq Ft, 1 Kattah = 720 Sq Ft, 1 Chotak = 45 Sq Ft
  • As Square Meter: 1 Bigha = 1338 Sq M, 1 Kattah = 66.9 Sq M, 1 Chotak = 4.18 Sq M
  • As Square Yard: 1 Kattah = 80 Sq Yard, 1 Chotak = 5 Sq Yard
  • As Square Link: 1 Kattah = 1650 Sq Link, 1 Chotak = 103.125 Sq Link

5. Ayer & Hectare System

The Hectare and Ayer systems are used for large-scale agricultural and state mapping.

1 Hectare Equals:

  • 100 Ayer
  • 10,000 Square Meter
  • 11,960 Square Yard (Bargogaz)
  • 2.47 Acre
  • 147.105 Shotok
  • 4789.528 Square Hat
  • 107,639 Square Feet
  • 7.47494 Bigha

1 Ayer Equals:

  • 100 Square Meter
  • 119.59882 Square Yard
  • 247.105 Shotok (Typo traditionally documented as such, usually 2.47)
  • 478.39528 Square Hat
  • 1076.39 Square Feet
  • 0.0747494 Bigha
  • 28.9 Bigha (Approx in certain texts)

6. Historical Survey Systems: Nol & Chain

Before digital surveying, land was measured using physical chains and bamboo poles called Nol.

Formula of 8 Hat Nol

12 Nol * 10 Nol = 120 Bargonol

A "Hat" is roughly a cubit. 1 Kani (Measurement of 8 Hat Nol) equates to 17,280 Square Feet. 7680 Square Hat = 1 Kani.

7. Regional Variations Across Bangladesh

Dhaka & Central Region

The unit Paki is frequently used. In central Dhaka, 1 Paki is roughly 26 Decimal. However, in Tangail, 1 Paki/Bigha is 30 Decimal, and in Gazipur, it is 35 Decimal.

Chittagong & Coastal Areas

The Kani is dominant. A Chittagong Kani can be 40 Decimal or a massive 160 Decimal depending on the sub-district.

Noakhali & Comilla

In Noakhali, a standard Kani is large—typically 120 Decimal. In Comilla, a Kani can refer to 120 Decimal (1.80 Acres) or 30 Decimal.

Northern Bangladesh (Rangpur/Dinajpur)

A Bigha here is historically larger. In Rangpur, 1 Bigha often equates to 60 Decimal, while in Dinajpur it is roughly 48 Decimal.

Faridpur

A Bigha in Faridpur is commonly recognized as 52 Decimal.

8. Special Section: Land Measurement in Sylhet

The Sylhet region has a distinctly different agrarian history. Traditional measurements are built around the Hal and the Kedar (Kea). One Hal represented the land a farmer could cultivate using one pair of bullocks.

Sylheti Micro-Units vs Standard Units

Sylheti Unit Decimal Equivalent Square Feet Equivalent Square Meter Equivalent
1 Hal (12 Kedar)360 Decimal156,816 Sq. Ft.14,569 Sq. M.
1 Kedar/Kea (4 Powa)30 Decimal13,068 Sq. Ft.1,214.1 Sq. M.
1 Powa (7 Jait)7.5 Decimal3,267 Sq. Ft.303.5 Sq. M.
1 Jait (4 Bail)~1.07 Decimal~466.7 Sq. Ft.~43.4 Sq. M.
1 Bail (4 Pan)~0.27 Decimal~116.7 Sq. Ft.~10.8 Sq. M.
1 Pan (20 Gonda)~0.067 Decimal~29.2 Sq. Ft.~2.7 Sq. M.
1 Gonda (4 Kauris)~0.0033 Decimal~1.46 Sq. Ft.~0.14 Sq. M.
1 Kauri (Kak)~0.0008 Decimal~0.36 Sq. Ft.~0.03 Sq. M.

9. Essential Property & Legal Resources

Legal & Property Services

Expert Compliance Guides

Official Government Portals

Khatian Search (DLRMS) Mutation Application (Namjari) Land Tax Payment