He soon became a regular face in the starting eleven and scored a goal in the 1977 league deciding match against Rahmatganj MFS, a game Abahani won 3–1.
[2] After being impressed by the winger during the 1978 AFC Youth Championship, coach Werner Bickelhaupt gave Anwar his international debut in 1979.
Anwar's contribution to the team during the qualifiers earned him a place in the main squad for the 1980 AFC Asian Cup in Kuwait.
[4] During his year as club captain in 1982, Anwar was involved in one of the most notorious incidents in Bangladeshi football, named as the "Black September" event.
[5] The incident took place during a Dhaka Derby in September 1982, when three Abahani players (Kazi Salahuddin, Golam Rabbani Helal, Ashrafuddin Ahmed Chunnu) alongside Anwar were arrested for protesting the referee's decision which later progressed into a fight involving the respective fans.