ABSTRACT. Small-scale trading among other categories of business is helping in generating gross domestic product in Bangladesh. Business start-up is an attractive alternative to the feared competition with people in an economy already suffering from far too few jobs. This study aimed at ascertaining the reasons for starting the new small business by the people and also finding out the difficulties they experienced at the time of and after starting their business. To attain the objectives, an interview schedule was used to interview the entrepreneurs. The study revealed that money earning for family, self-employment, relief from the curse of unemployment, family business tradition, previous experience of the similar or different line of business, lack of higher formal education etc. were the broad general reasons for start-up of new business. Shortage of fixed and working capital, lack of training and business skill, lack of collateral free institutional support, lack of experienced and reliable employees, etc. were the common factors that inhibited the entrepreneurs to start and run their business smoothly. The study ended with some recommendations which can be considered by the entrepreneurs, policy makers, academics and supporting agencies to remove the constraints. pp. 18-35

Keywords: Start-up, growth, small-scale trading enterprise, constraints