He started his career with Naveen Krira Chakra and rose to prominence while playing for leading Dhaka club Mohammedan SC during the 1980s and 1990s.

[5] Kannan also serves as the head coach of Dhaka Senior Division League club Badda Jagoroni Sangsad.

In December 1979, Irish coach William Bill Hart of First Division giants Abahani Krira Chakra held a goalkeeper tiral, for which players had to pay 30 rupees to join.

"However, with Mohamed Mohsin being the first choice goalkeeper at Abahani, coach Ali Imam fixed Kanan a move to Farashganj SC, who were recently promoted from the Second Division.

In 1983, he joined Brothers Union, and after a third-place finish in his debut season at the club, Kanan moved to Mohammedan SC.

[8] Kanan replaced the injured Moinul Islam in the Bangladesh team for the 1986 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in Indonesia.

He collided with defender Monem Munna, while trying to clear the ball and missed, leaving an empty post as Haji Abdul Sattar scored.

He was replaced in goal by Showkat Ali Selim, whose penalty shoot-out heroics lead the team to victory over South Korea University.

[10] His international career came to an end after the 1994 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, during which Bangladesh suffered an 8–0 defeat at the hands of Japan.

In the same year, under Kanan's coaching, Badda toured West Bengal, lifting the Independence Day Cup held in South Dinajpur, Calcutta, India, while also reaching the semi-finals of the IFA Shield.