Conversion Tools

Land Unit Converter: Shotok, Katha, Bigha, Acre to Square Feet

A plot of land is often written in one unit on the deed, another in the khatian, and a third when people talk about buying or selling it. Enter an area in shotok, katha, bigha, acre, decimal or square feet, and this converter shows the same area in all the other units at once. You can also draw a sketch of the plot, split the land into shares, work out prices or a budget, and compare two plots, all on the same page. It helps when you compare prices, divide inherited land, or check figures before paying land tax. The calculation runs in your browser, but the result is not a substitute for a deed or an official survey.

Katha size: 1 katha = 720 sq ft (click to change)

The commonly used size is 720 sq ft. If your area uses a different size, enter it here. Katha, chhatak and bigha results and the katha grid follow this value; shotok, acre and hectare do not change. Accepted range is 100 to 2,000 sq ft.

Quick examples:

Result

Enter an area and the result in every unit will appear here.

Why use this tool?

Why use this tool?

A wrong reading of land area can cost real money. One seller quotes a price per katha, another per shotok, while the khatian lists the area in acres and shotok. Matching these by hand invites mistakes with fractions and multiplication. This tool turns one number into ten units, so prices, deeds and the actual plot can be compared on the same scale.

How to use it

How to use it

  1. Step 1

    Choose a tab

    Keep Convert units if you already know the area. Use Sketch and split if you only know the side lengths, Price calculator for prices, and Compare two plots to put two plots side by side.
  2. Step 2

    Set the katha size

    If one katha in your area is not 720 sq ft, click Katha size and enter the correct value. It applies to every tab.
  3. Step 3

    Enter the numbers and unit

    Type the number in the area field and pick a unit from the list, for example 5 and Shotok. In the Sketch tab, pick a shape, enter each side and choose feet, hat or meters.
  4. Step 4

    Read the result and the sketch

    The list shows the area in every unit from hectare to square foot. The Sketch tab draws a to-scale picture; switch on the katha or shotok grid if you want to see the cells.
  5. Step 5

    Divide the land if needed

    Turn on Divide the land, choose equal parts or a ratio, and pick the direction. Each part appears on the sketch and in the list below it.
  6. Step 6

    Copy or save

    Use Copy on a row or Copy all results. In the Sketch tab, press Save the sketch as an image (PNG) to download the picture. Press Reset to begin again.

Why land measurement gets confusing

Land area in Bangladesh is not written in a single unit. Khatian and government records usually show acres and shotok, buyers and sellers of plots talk in katha and square feet, farmland is often counted in bigha or kani, and building drawings use square meters or square feet. One plot can pass through three or four units as it changes hands, and each conversion is a chance for an error. This tool does that back-and-forth in one place.

What this tool does

There are four tabs. In Convert units, type a number in one unit and the tool shows the area in hectare, acre, bigha, katha, shotok, chhatak, ayutangsho, square meter, square yard and square foot, sorted from large to small, with your input unit highlighted. Sketch and split draws a plot and divides it into shares. Price calculator works out a total price, a price per unit, or how much land a budget buys. Compare two plots sets two plots side by side. The katha size setting applies to all four tabs.

How many square feet is each unit

Everything is calculated through square feet. One acre is 43,560 sq ft, exactly 100 shotok, so one shotok is 435.6 sq ft. One katha is usually taken as 720 sq ft with 16 chhatak in it, and one bigha is 20 katha, or 14,400 sq ft. One square meter is about 10.7639 sq ft, one square yard is 9 sq ft, and one hectare is 10,000 square meters. All of these values are listed together in the details table below.

Shotok, shatangsho and decimal: are they the same

Yes. In everyday use these three words mean the same area: one hundredth of an acre. If a deed says shatangsho or shotok and a seller says decimal, the arithmetic is identical. An even smaller part is the ayutangsho; 100 ayutangsho make one shotok. When a khatian lists acres, shotok and ayutangsho side by side, convert each part separately and add them, or bring everything to shotok and write it as a decimal number.

A warning about the katha

The size of a katha is not the same everywhere in Bangladesh. One katha is usually taken as 720 sq ft, but some regions follow a different local custom. That is why the tool has a Katha size setting. The default is 720 sq ft; if you know the size used in your area, enter it and the katha, chhatak and bigha results change accordingly. Shotok, acre, hectare and square meter are fixed and do not depend on the katha size. If you are unsure, ask the local land office or an experienced surveyor.

How the bigha is calculated

The tool treats 1 bigha as 20 katha. With a 720 sq ft katha, a bigha is 14,400 sq ft, or about 33.0579 shotok. Many people simply say 33 shotok, which is close to this value. In some areas the bigha is counted differently. If you change the katha size, the bigha changes with it, but if the katha-to-bigha ratio in your area is not 20, the result will not match local practice.

How the plot sketch is drawn

In the Sketch and split tab, pick a shape (rectangle, triangle, four-sided plot or trapezium) and enter the side lengths. The tool draws a to-scale sketch and labels every side, the corners (A, B, C, D) and the total area, with a scale bar underneath. Measurements can be in feet, hat (1 hat = 1.5 ft) or meters. For example, a plot 60 ft long and 40 ft wide is 2,400 sq ft, about 3.3333 katha or 5.5096 shotok.

How triangles and four-sided plots are worked out

When all three sides of a triangle are known, the area comes from Heron’s formula, which is what the tool uses. For a four-sided plot, four sides are not enough, because the same four sides can form several different shapes. That is why one diagonal (A to C) is also asked for. The diagonal splits the plot into two triangles, and adding their areas gives the whole plot. For a trapezium, half the sum of the two parallel sides is multiplied by the height. If the measurements cannot work together, for example three sides that cannot close into a triangle, the tool says why.

Katha and shotok grid

You can lay square cells the size of one katha or one shotok over the sketch to see how many cells the plot equals. The side of a one-katha square is about 26.83 ft (the square root of 720 sq ft), and the side of a one-shotok square is about 20.87 ft. For people who think in katha, this makes a phrase like “3 katha” something you can see. Cells at the edge can be partial, so do not count cells to get the total; the exact figure is in the result list.

Dividing the land

For inherited or shared land, the Divide the land option splits the plot into 2 to 12 equal parts, or into a ratio such as 1:2:1 or 1/2, 1/4, 1/4. The tool cuts the plot with parallel lines so that each part has the right area, colours each part on the sketch, and lists the sq ft, katha and shotok of every part. For a rectangle it also tells you how far from the edge each cut falls. On a triangle or an uneven shape the parts may differ in width, but their areas are right. This is a tool for discussion; before any boundary is marked on the ground you need a surveyor and the agreement of everyone involved, and the legal division of property and mutation are separate processes.

Price calculator

The Price calculator tab does three things. If you know the rate per shotok or katha, it gives the total price. If you know the total price and the area, it shows the price per katha, shotok, square foot and every other unit. If you know a budget and a rate, it tells you how much land that buys. Large amounts are also written in lakh and crore. It only does arithmetic on the numbers you enter; registration costs, taxes, mutation fees and broker charges must be added separately. For example, at Tk 5,00,000 per shotok, 5 shotok costs Tk 25,00,000, or about Tk 1,147.84 per square foot.

Comparing two plots

It is hard to compare two plots when their sizes and prices are quoted in different units. In the Compare two plots tab, enter the area of each plot (in any unit) and its total price. The tool brings both to the same unit and shows them side by side: size, total price and price per unit. It also says which plot is how many times larger and which one has a lower price per unit, and by what percentage. A lower price is not automatically a better deal; road access, the state of the deed, ownership and the quality of the area must be checked separately.

Saving the sketch as an image

The sketch can be saved as a PNG image in one click. The image carries a line saying it is an approximate sketch, not a survey. It is created in your browser and is not uploaded anywhere. You can send it to family members or co-owners to talk things over, but it is not a substitute for a deed or a survey plan.

How accurate the sketch is

The sketch is drawn from side lengths alone, so its shape and area agree mathematically with the measurements. North and south, the position of roads, and curved boundaries are not part of it. The angles of a four-sided plot are worked out from the sides and the diagonal, so a real plot with different angles could have a different shape even with the same sides. For any decision to buy, divide or build, treat a surveyor’s measurement as final.

When the deed, khatian and the real plot do not match

The area written on paper and the area you measure on the ground do not always agree. Old deeds may carry estimated figures, land may have been lost to a road or canal, or the difference may simply come from converting between units. Before buying, bring the deed and khatian figures into the same unit with this tool, then have the real plot measured through a surveyor or the land office. It is safest to get advice from a lawyer or the land office before making a final decision.

What land development tax is and why it is paid

Land development tax is an annual tax that the government collects from the owner or occupier of land. It applies to both agricultural and non-agricultural land. After payment you receive a dakhila (DCR), which is kept as proof that the tax was paid. Land area matters here because the amount of tax depends on the type and size of the land.

Land development tax is now paid online

According to the Ministry of Land, land development tax has been collected fully online across the country since 14 April 2023 (Pohela Boishakh 1430). You can use the land.gov.bd or ldtax.gov.bd portal and the Land Development Tax mobile app, or call the 16122 hotline to get help. Because services are available from home, most of the work can be done without visiting a land office.

Steps to pay land development tax on the portal

Based on guidance published in the news media, the steps look like this. Open land.gov.bd or ldtax.gov.bd and go to the land development tax section. If you are new, register with your NID number, mobile number and date of birth; otherwise log in. Choose the land development tax option, add your holding or khatian, check that the details shown are correct and approve them, then pay the tax. The portal itself shows the payment methods, the dues and the amount, so treat its figures as final.

When the tax is collected

Under the Land Development Tax Act 2023, from 1 July 2024 the collection period follows the government fiscal year, 1 July to 30 June. It used to run from Pohela Boishakh to 30 Chaitra in the Bengali calendar. The exact deadline, arrears and waiver rules can change over time, so check the current rules on the portal or with the 16122 hotline.

This tool does not calculate the tax, so how does it help

The tax depends on the type and size of the land and on the rates in the current law, and this tool contains no tax formula. But the area in a khatian is usually written in acres and shotok, while the figure you know may be in katha or bigha. This converter helps you compare the two, or check that the area shown on the portal agrees with the area you already know.

Mutation (namjari) and khatian fees

After buying land you need to get the mutation (namjari) done, and that service now runs online. A 2022 report said that Tk 1,100 for record correction and khatian supply had to be paid online only. Fees and rules may have changed since then, so check the current information on land.gov.bd when you apply.

Where the government information on this page comes from

The details about land development tax, the online portal, the hotline and the collection period were cross-checked in October 2026 against Ministry of Land announcements and news reports. Rules, fees and portal addresses can change, so always confirm the latest information on land.gov.bd or through 16122 before paying any tax or fee. The unit values are the commonly used ones; in a legal dispute, the deed and the official survey are the evidence.

Features explained

Results in every unit at once

Enter one number and see the area in hectare, acre, bigha, katha, shotok, chhatak, ayutangsho, square meter, square yard and square foot. You do not have to switch units and recalculate. Results are sorted from large to small and the row for your input unit is highlighted. If you change the katha size, the order adjusts by itself.

Four tabs for four jobs

Convert units, Sketch and split, Price calculator and Compare two plots sit on one page. Switching tabs does not erase what you typed in the others. The katha size setting works across all four.

To-scale plot sketch

The sketch is drawn from a rectangle (length and width), a triangle (three sides), a four-sided plot (four sides and one diagonal) or a trapezium (two parallel sides and the height). Every side length, the corner names, the total area and a scale bar appear on the sketch. Measurements can be in feet, hat or meters. If the measurements are impossible, the tool explains why.

Katha and shotok grid

You can lay square cells of one katha or one shotok over the sketch to see how many cells the plot equals. If the number of cells would be very large, the grid is not drawn and you are told why.

Land division

Split the plot into 2 to 12 equal parts or into a ratio such as 1:2:1 or 1/2, 1/4, 1/4. Choose the direction of the cuts (left to right or bottom to top). Each part is coloured on the sketch, and the list gives its sq ft, katha and shotok. For a rectangle it also shows where each cut falls. The list of parts can be copied.

Price calculator and plot comparison

Work out a total price from a rate, a rate from a total price, or the land a budget buys. Compare two plots in the same unit, with size, total price and price per unit side by side, plus a short summary of which is larger and which costs less per unit. Leave the prices empty and you get a size comparison only.

Save the sketch as a PNG

Save the sketch as a PNG image in one click. It is created in your browser. The image carries a note that it is an approximate sketch, not a survey. If a browser cannot create the image, an error message appears.

Adjustable katha size

By default 1 katha is 720 sq ft. If your area uses a different size, enter any value from 100 to 2,000 sq ft. The katha, chhatak and bigha results and the size of the katha grid change with it; shotok, acre, hectare, square meter and square yard do not. A value outside the range shows an error message.

Bengali or English digits, and decimals

You can type 5 or ৫, 2.5 or ২.৫. Commas and spaces inside a number are ignored. Only ‘.’ works as the decimal mark. If you enter a negative number or letters, the message tells you what to fix.

Quick example buttons

The buttons for 1 katha, 5 shotok, 1 bigha and 1 acre fill in that number and unit for you. They are handy when you just want to see how one unit compares with the others.

Copy and reset

The Copy button beside each row copies that unit’s number without grouping commas, so it can be pasted straight into a spreadsheet or calculator. Copy all results copies the whole list with unit names. Reset returns every field, unit and the katha size to the starting state.

Same use on phone, tablet and computer

On a phone the results sit in one column with large type and finger-sized buttons. On a wide screen they split into two columns. Every field has a label and the tool can be used from the keyboard. On phones the number keyboard opens for the input fields.

What can you use it for?

Comparing prices before buying land

One seller quotes a price per katha, another per shotok. Bring both plots to the same unit and work out the price per square foot to compare them fairly.

Matching the deed and khatian

Convert an area written in acres and shotok in the khatian into katha or square feet and see whether it agrees with the figure the seller gave you.

Dividing inherited land

Split the whole plot in a set ratio and see each person’s share coloured on the sketch, with the shotok or katha of every share listed. It helps when family members are talking things over; before dividing anything on the ground you need a surveyor and everyone’s agreement.

Plot size and house design

Measure the sides of a plot in feet or hat, draw it, and see how many katha or shotok it is. Save the sketch as an image to show a designer or builder.

Farmland figures

Convert land cultivated in bigha into acres or hectares to match government data, a loan application or a project document.

Preparing to pay land development tax

When you add a holding or khatian on the portal, check that the area shown agrees with the katha and shotok figures you already know.

Tool information

Tool typeLand area unit converter
Input method 1One number and a unit (hectare, acre, bigha, katha, shotok, chhatak, ayutangsho, square meter, square yard or square foot)
Input method 2Shapes in the Sketch tab (rectangle, triangle, four-sided plot, trapezium) with side lengths in feet, hat or meters
Input method 3Price tab: area, a rate or total price or a budget (in taka)
Input method 4Compare tab: the area of two plots and, optionally, their total prices
OutputResults in ten units and the total in square feet; a to-scale sketch; the list of land shares; price and comparison figures; copy options and a PNG image
Sketch mathsHeron’s formula for triangles and four-sided plots; average of the parallel sides × height for trapezia
Land division2 to 12 parts; equal or by ratio (numbers or fractions); parallel cuts, split by area
Katha or shotok gridSide of a 1-katha cell ≈ 26.83 ft (with a 720 sq ft katha); side of a 1-shotok cell ≈ 20.87 ft
Base unitSquare foot
Default katha size1 katha = 720 sq ft (can be changed between 100 and 2,000 sq ft)
Number inputBengali or English digits, ‘.’ for decimals; commas and spaces are ignored
Decimal places in resultsUp to 4 for values of 1 or more, up to 6 for values below 1
Very large numbersNumbers far larger than any real plot are rejected with an error message
ProcessingEntirely in the browser; nothing is sent to a server for the calculation
Account requiredNo
Mobile supportYes, responsive layout for phone, tablet and computer
1 acre43,560 sq ft = 100 shotok
1 hectare10,000 sq m ≈ 107,639.10 sq ft ≈ 247.105 shotok
1 bigha20 katha = 14,400 sq ft (with a 720 sq ft katha) ≈ 33.0579 shotok
1 katha720 sq ft (default) = 16 chhatak ≈ 1.6529 shotok
1 shotok (shatangsho, decimal)435.6 sq ft = 100 ayutangsho ≈ 0.605 katha
1 chhatak45 sq ft (with a 720 sq ft katha)
1 ayutangsho4.356 sq ft
1 square meter≈ 10.7639 sq ft
1 square yard9 sq ft
1 hat (length)1.5 ft (18 inches)

Benefits

  • One number gives you the area in ten units, with no need for separate converters.
  • The katha size can be set to match your area, so the results stay close to local practice.
  • Bengali digits and lakh-style grouping make results easy to read for local users.
  • The numbers you enter stay in your browser and no account is needed.
  • The same page also gives basic guidance on land development tax, mutation and khatian fees.

Limitations

  • It is not a substitute for a legal or surveyed measurement. The actual area of land is set by the deed, khatian and official survey.
  • Regional units such as kani, ganda, kora and kranti are not included.
  • Katha and bigha sizes can differ by region. The bigha is always taken as 20 katha; if your area uses a different ratio, the results will not match.
  • The sketch is an approximate picture. It has no direction, roads, curved boundaries or true angles; a surveyor’s measurement is needed for those.
  • The sketch tab has four shapes. A plot with five or more sides cannot be drawn here; split it into triangles or four-sided plots and add the separate results.
  • Land division is a purely arithmetic split by area. It does not account for roads, trees, possession or legal rights, and it is not a substitute for a legal division of property or mutation.
  • The tool does not calculate land development tax or mutation fees. The Price tab only does arithmetic on the prices you enter; registration costs, taxes and broker charges are not included. For tax and fees, the government portal’s figures are final.
  • Government rules, fees and portal details can change over time.

Security

This tool does not ask for your NID, mobile number, khatian number or any personal detail. You only enter numbers for the land area and size. When you pay land development tax, the government portal will ask for your NID and mobile number; give those only on the Ministry of Land’s own address, not on ToolsAli.

Privacy

The conversion runs entirely in your browser. The tool’s code does not send the numbers you enter to a server and does not save them in the browser. Closing or refreshing the page clears the fields. The Copy buttons only write to your device’s clipboard, and the sketch PNG is created in your browser and is not uploaded anywhere.

Tips

  • Before buying, bring the deed and khatian figures into the same unit and compare them.
  • Before working in katha or bigha, confirm how many square feet a katha is in your area and set the Katha size first.
  • To compare prices, convert each plot to square feet and divide the price by that number.
  • If acres, shotok and ayutangsho are written separately, bring everything to shotok as a decimal; for example 0 acre 12 shotok 50 ayutangsho is 12.5 shotok.
  • Use Copy all results to keep the figures in a spreadsheet or note.
  • To discuss a division among heirs, try a ratio in the Sketch and split tab to see the shares, then have a surveyor measure them on the ground.
  • To compare two plots fairly, use the Compare two plots tab and look at the price per shotok or per katha side by side.
  • Before paying tax or fees, or applying for mutation, confirm the current details on land.gov.bd or through 16122.

Frequently asked questions

How many square feet is 1 katha?

It is usually taken as 720 sq ft, which is about 1.6529 shotok. Some areas follow a different local katha size, though. You can change the Katha size setting in this tool to calculate with your area’s value.

How many square feet is 1 shotok? Are shotok, shatangsho and decimal the same?

1 shotok is 435.6 sq ft. Yes, in common use shotok, shatangsho and decimal are the same area: one hundredth of an acre.

How many shotok or square feet is 1 bigha?

This tool takes 1 bigha as 20 katha. With a 720 sq ft katha, a bigha is 14,400 sq ft, about 33.0579 shotok. Many people simply say 33 shotok.

How many bigha, katha and shotok are in 1 acre?

1 acre is 100 shotok, or 43,560 sq ft. With a 720 sq ft katha that is 60.5 katha and about 3.025 bigha.

How do I convert shotok to katha?

1 shotok is 435.6 sq ft and 1 katha is 720 sq ft, so multiply shotok by 0.605 to get katha. For example 5 shotok is about 3.025 katha. To go the other way, multiply katha by 1.6529 to get shotok. The tool does this automatically when you enter a number and a unit.

What if the katha size in my area is different?

Click Katha size and enter how many square feet one katha is (between 100 and 2,000). The katha, chhatak and bigha results will change to match. Confirm the size with the local land office or an experienced surveyor.

Which plot shapes can the Sketch tab draw?

Four: a rectangle (length and width), a triangle (three sides), a four-sided plot (four sides and one diagonal) and a trapezium (two parallel sides and the height). Plots with five or more sides or curved boundaries cannot be drawn; split them into triangles or four-sided plots and add the separate areas, or use a surveyor’s measurement. When measuring by hand, 1 hat is taken as 1.5 ft.

Why does the tool say a triangle or four-sided plot cannot be drawn?

A triangle exists only when any two sides together are longer than the third. In a four-sided plot the diagonal splits the plot into two triangles, and both must satisfy that rule. That is also why a four-sided plot needs a diagonal along with its four sides; four sides alone do not fix the shape. Measure again and check for a mistyped number.

How do I split land equally or in a ratio?

In the Sketch and split tab, draw the plot first, then turn on Divide the land. Choose 2 to 12 equal parts, or type a ratio such as 1:2:1 or 1/2, 1/4, 1/4. Pick the direction and each part will be coloured on the sketch, with its sq ft, katha and shotok listed below. Before dividing anything on the ground you need a surveyor’s measurement and everyone’s agreement.

Is the sketch as accurate as a survey?

No. The sketch is drawn only from side lengths, so its shape and area agree mathematically with them. Direction, roads, curved boundaries and real angles are not part of it. It is meant for discussion and rough planning, not as a substitute for a survey or a deed.

What can the Price calculator do?

Three things: work out a total price when you know the rate per shotok or katha, work out the price per unit when you know the total price and the area, and show how much land a budget buys at a given rate. It is arithmetic only; registration costs, taxes and mutation fees are not included.

How do I save the sketch as an image?

Once the sketch is drawn, a button to save it as an image (PNG) appears under it. Press it and the picture downloads to your device. The image is created in your browser and is not uploaded anywhere. If it does not download, refresh the page or try another browser.

What should I do if the deed or khatian area does not match the real plot?

First bring both figures into the same unit with this tool and check that the difference is real. If it is, have the land measured through a surveyor or the land office and take a lawyer’s advice. Do not base a purchase decision on a converter result alone.

Does this tool calculate land development tax?

No. The tax depends on the type and size of the land and on the rates in the current law, and this tool has no tax formula. Check the tax and any dues on the land.gov.bd or ldtax.gov.bd portal.

Where do I pay land development tax?

On the Ministry of Land’s land.gov.bd or ldtax.gov.bd portal, or in the Land Development Tax mobile app. You can also call the 16122 hotline for help. Registration on the portal asks for your NID number, mobile number and date of birth.

Until when can land development tax be paid?

Under the law, since 1 July 2024 the collection period is 1 July to 30 June, matching the government fiscal year. The exact deadline and rules for arrears can change, so check the current rules on the portal or through 16122.

Are my numbers sent or stored anywhere?

No. The calculation happens in your browser. The tool’s code does not send the numbers to a server and does not save them in the browser. Closing or refreshing the page clears the fields.

Can I type Bengali digits?

Yes. Bengali digits (such as ৫) and English digits (such as 5) both work. Use ‘.’ for the decimal mark, for example 2.5. Commas or spaces inside a number are ignored.