What Is a Khatian? CS, SA, RS, BS and Mutation Records Explained, and How to Read Them
Every land matter in Bangladesh starts with the khatian. Buyers, banks, courts and land offices all ask for it, yet many owners are not sure which khatian they have or what it proves. This guide explains the types of khatian, how to read one, how to get a copy online and what weight each record carries.
- A khatian is the record of rights for land in a mouza: who holds it, what share, which dags and how much
- CS, SA, RS and BS are records from successive government surveys; the mutation khatian records later transfers
- Certified copies can be ordered online through the Ministry of Land portal or from the record room
- A khatian is strong evidence of possession and is presumed correct, but it is not a title deed
In this guide: What is a khatian, and is a porcha the same thing? · CS, SA, RS, BS khatian: what each survey is and when it was made · How to read a khatian: the columns explained · How to get a khatian or porcha online, and a certified copy · Which khatian carries weight, and does it prove ownership?
The short answer
A khatian (record of rights) is the government register entry, mouza by mouza, showing who holds land, their share, the dag (plot) numbers, the land class and the area. Each major survey made a new set: CS (from 1888 to 1940), SA (1956 to 1962), RS (from the 1960s) and BS (from the 1990s, still being completed in places). After a sale or inheritance, the AC Land opens a mutation (namjari) khatian. You can order a certified copy online through the Ministry of Land portal. The latest finally published khatian is presumed correct, but a khatian is evidence, not proof of title.
What is a khatian, and is a porcha the same thing?
A khatian is the record of rights for one or more holdings in a mouza (revenue village). It is prepared during a government survey under section 144 of the State Acquisition and Tenancy Act 1950, or under the Bengal Tenancy Act 1885 for the older CS record. Each khatian has a number within its mouza, and the mouza has a jurisdiction list (JL) number.
A khatian tells you:
- the names of the owners (and in older records, the landlord above them)
- each owner’s share in the holding
- the dag (plot) numbers covered, the land class and the area of each
- the rent or revenue noted at the time
Porcha is a word people use loosely. Strictly, the porcha is the copy of the draft entry handed to owners during the survey (the field or math porcha) so they can check it before attestation. In everyday speech, and on the online portal, any copy of a khatian is called a porcha. The field porcha is not final; only the finally published khatian, or a certified copy of it, counts as the record.
CS, SA, RS, BS khatian: what each survey is and when it was made
| Record | Approximate period | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| CS (Cadastral Survey) | 1888 to 1940 | First plot-by-plot survey under the Bengal Tenancy Act. Shares often in anna and gonda. Key for tracing old family land. |
| SA (State Acquisition) | 1956 to 1962 | Prepared after zamindari was abolished, largely by updating CS records without full field measurement. Errors are common. |
| RS (Revisional Survey) | From the 1960s | Full field survey, done district by district over many years. In many areas it is still the latest final record. |
| BS (Bangladesh Survey) and City Survey | From the 1990s | Most recent completed survey in many districts; Dhaka has its own city survey. Still being finalised in some places. |
| Diara survey | At various times | For riverbank and char land that changes with erosion and accretion. |
| Mutation (namjari) khatian | Ongoing | Opened by the AC Land after a sale, gift or inheritance. Not a survey record. |
Dates vary by district, so check which surveys have been finally published for your mouza at the upazila land office or the DC record room. A new digital survey (BDS) is now running in some areas.
How to read a khatian: the columns explained
Modern RS and BS khatians follow a similar layout. Read it top to bottom:
| Part | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Header | District, upazila or police station, mouza name, JL number, khatian number |
| Owner column | Name, father’s or husband’s name and address of each owner |
| Share (ongsho) | Each owner’s share of the holding, as a decimal (.500 = half) or, in old records, in anna and gonda |
| Dag number | Plot numbers on the mouza map covered by this khatian |
| Land class | For example nal (crop land), bhiti (homestead), pukur (pond), bari |
| Area in dag / this khatian’s share of the dag | Total area of the plot, and how much of it belongs to this khatian |
| Remarks | Notes on possession, encumbrances or later corrections |
To find one owner’s land, multiply the khatian’s land in each dag by that owner’s share. Always compare the dag numbers with the mouza map and with your deed. If the numbers do not match, take advice before you buy or sell. A wrong entry can be corrected, but the forum depends on the stage of the record.
How to get a khatian or porcha online, and a certified copy
The Ministry of Land runs an online land records system at dlrms.land.gov.bd (the older e-porcha address, eporcha.gov.bd, is still widely used). The steps are:
- Choose the division, district, upazila and mouza.
- Choose the record type: CS, SA, RS, BS or mutation khatian.
- Search by khatian number, dag number or owner’s name.
- View the information copy, or apply for a certified copy and pay the fee shown online.
- Download the copy when it is approved, or receive it by post.
Not every old record has been put online. If your khatian does not appear, apply at the DC office record room for CS, SA and RS records, or at the upazila land office for mutation records. For help, call the land service helpline 16122.
For a court case, registration or a bank, use a certified copy, not a screenshot or information copy. Before buying land, see our guide on what to check before you buy.
Which khatian carries weight, and does it prove ownership?
Two rules matter.
First, the latest finally published survey record is presumed correct. Section 144A says every entry is evidence of what it records and is presumed correct until proved wrong. Land offices work from the latest final record (often RS or BS) and the mutation khatians that follow it. Older CS and SA records remain important to show how the land came down through the family or from seller to seller.
Second, a khatian does not create ownership. Ownership comes from a registered deed, inheritance, a court decree or a government settlement. The khatian is the government’s record of who held the land and is strong evidence of possession, but courts have long held that a record of rights is not a document of title. A person with a valid deed and possession can win against a wrong record, and a record in your name will not save a forged chain of deeds.
So keep both: your deeds and your khatians. After you buy or inherit, complete namjari (mutation) so the record matches the deed.
Find the mouza
District, upazila, mouza name and JL number.
Search the portal
By khatian number, dag number or owner name.
Order a certified copy
Pay online; use it for court, bank or registration.
Match with deed and map
Dag, share and area must agree.
Common questions
What is a khatian?
A khatian is the record of rights for land in a mouza. It lists the owners, their shares, the dag numbers, land class and area. It is prepared during a government survey and updated by mutation after transfers.
How many types of khatian are there?
The main survey khatians are CS, SA, RS and BS (with city and Diara surveys in some areas). There is also the mutation (namjari) khatian opened by the AC Land after a sale, gift or inheritance.
What is a porcha?
Strictly, a porcha is the copy of the draft khatian given to owners during a survey so they can check it. In common use, and on the online portal, any copy of a khatian is called a porcha.
In which year was the SA khatian made?
The SA (State Acquisition) record was prepared mainly between 1956 and 1962, after the State Acquisition and Tenancy Act 1950 abolished the zamindari system. Exact years vary by district.
In which year was the RS khatian made?
The Revisional Survey began in the 1960s and was carried out district by district over several decades. Check your mouza's final publication date at the land office or DC record room.
In which year was the CS khatian made?
The Cadastral Survey was carried out roughly between 1888 and 1940 under the Bengal Tenancy Act 1885. Some areas, such as Sylhet, were surveyed later.
How can I see a khatian online?
Use the Ministry of Land portal at dlrms.land.gov.bd. Choose the district, upazila, mouza and record type, then search by khatian number, dag number or owner name. Apply and pay online for a certified copy.
Does a khatian prove ownership of land?
No. A khatian is presumed correct and is strong evidence of possession, but ownership comes from a deed, inheritance or court decree. Keep your deeds and complete mutation so the record matches.
More in Land & Property
Buying land safely, mutation (namjari) and recovering occupied land.
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We read your khatians and map, match them with your deeds and tell you what to fix before you buy or sell. A written assessment costs nothing.
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