How to Read a Porcha (Khatian): Every Field Explained
A porcha looks dense, but it has a small number of fields and each one has a fixed job. Once you know them, you can tell at a glance who owns what, how much, and of what class.
A porcha, or khatian, is the government’s statement of a particular owner or group of owners’ land within one mouza: which dags are recorded in whose name, and how much. It looks complicated, but the fields are few and each has a specific function.
The header: where the land is
- District and upazila — the land-administration address.
- Mouza — the revenue village. This is not necessarily the postal village; use the name printed here.
- JL number — the mouza’s official serial number, which disambiguates same-named mouzas in one upazila.
- Survey — CS, SA, RS, BS or Diara. This tells you which record series you are holding.
- Khatian number — the serial number of this khatian within that mouza.
The owner block
This carries the owner’s name, father’s or husband’s name and address. Where there are several owners, each has a share ("angsha") — 1/4, 0.25, or in older records 8 anna. The share is a fractional interest in the khatian’s total land, not a claim on a specific corner of it.
In the anna system, 16 anna is the whole, 8 anna is a half, 4 anna is a quarter. Modern records use decimal fractions.
The dag table: exactly which land
A dag is a numbered parcel drawn on the mouza map. One khatian can contain many dags, and one dag can appear in several khatians when it is jointly owned. The columns are usually:
| Column | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Dag number | The parcel’s number in the current survey |
| Sabek dag | The same land’s number in the previous survey — used to trace continuity |
| Land class | Nal (paddy), viti (homestead), doba, pukur (pond), bagan (orchard), road and so on |
| Area | Land recorded in that dag, usually in acres |
| Share / possession | The khatian holder’s entitlement within that dag |
The sabek dag column matters enormously. Tracing a title backwards means stepping from the BS dag to the RS dag, and from RS back to SA or CS. If the sabek dag does not line up, there is a discrepancy somewhere in the chain that needs explaining before money changes hands.
Why land class matters
The class records what the land is officially considered to be. It has practical consequences: land development tax rates differ by class; converting agricultural land to non-agricultural use can require a change of class; and filling a recorded pond or water body is separately restricted.
What to reconcile when verifying a porcha
- Survey and mouza agree
Match the header against the mouza, JL number and survey named in the deed.
- Dag continuity
Walk from the current dag back through sabek dags to the source of the seller’s title.
- Area against share
Check that the seller’s recorded share actually amounts to the quantity being sold.
- Latest mutation and dakhila
Confirm the name on the porcha matches the latest mutation khatian and rent receipt.
- Sub-registry search
Search the registry to be sure the same land has not already been sold or mortgaged.
Frequently asked
Are porcha and khatian different things?
In practice, no. "Khatian" is the record; "porcha" usually means a copy of it.
What is the difference between a survey khatian and a mutation khatian?
A survey khatian is created during a government survey. A mutation khatian is created when ownership is updated after a transfer. If you buy land and never apply for mutation, the record still shows the previous owner.
Can one dag appear in more than one khatian?
Yes — a jointly owned dag can be listed in each co-owner’s khatian with their share.
Will an online copy be accepted in court?
No. Courts, banks and registry offices require a certified porcha obtained for a fee from the official portal.
Look up a record by mouza and khatian number and work through the fields above yourself.
Open your khatian