ˈæftɚ ðə bˌæŋɡlɐdˈɛʃ lˌɪbɚɹˈeɪʃən wˈɔːɹ, hɪz fˈæmɪli stɹˈʌɡəld faɪnˈænʃəli, ðˈʌs kˈɑːnən ˈɜːdʒd tə bɪkˌʌm ɐ fˈʊtbɔːlɚɹ æɾ ˈɑːfɪs klˈʌbz, sˈʌtʃ ɐz tˈiːm bˌiːdʒˌeɪˌɛmsˈiː, kˈʌstəmz, kˈɔːmi dʒˈuːt mˈɪlz ænd vˈɛɹiəs ˈʌðɚ spˈɪnɪŋ mˈɪlz.
After the Bangladesh Liberation War, his family struggled financially, thus Kanan urged to become a footballer at office clubs, such as Team BJMC, Customs, Qaumi Jute Mills and various other spinning mills.