What is FAR (Floor Area Ratio)?

What is FAR?

Floor Area Ratio (FAR) is the ratio of a building's total gross floor area to the plot area it occupies.

Formula: FAR = Total Building Floor Area ÷ Plot Area

Example: A 5 katha plot (≈3,600 sq ft) with FAR 4.0 allows up to 14,400 sq ft of total floor area across all storeys.

Why FAR matters in Dhaka

RAJUK uses FAR as the primary control on how much building can legally exist on a plot. It caps:

• Total sellable/residential floor area
• Approximate building height (together with ground coverage)
• Population pressure on roads, utilities, and open space

How DAP calculates your FAR

Base FAR = the lower of:

1. Plot FAR — from your access road width (Appendix 3.5)
2. Area FAR — from your density block cap (Appendix 3.6)

Base FAR = min(Plot FAR, Area FAR)

Maximum FAR = max(Plot FAR, Area FAR)

Total FAR = min(Base FAR + Incentive FAR, Maximum FAR)

Practical drivers

Factor	Effect
Wider access road	Higher Plot FAR
Higher-density block (e.g. Motijheel CBD)	Higher Area FAR cap
TOD, affordable housing, RAJUK plot	Bonus Incentive FAR
Narrow road in low-density block	Lower effective FAR

Use the FAR Calculator to run these rules against your plot inputs.