Anwarul Iqbal was an adviser of 2007–2009 interim caretaker government of Bangladesh. He was appointed as Local Government and Rural Development Minister & Labour Minister of the non-party interim caretaker government of Bangladesh on 17 January 2007 and remained in that post until elections were held two years later. Later he was given the charge of Jute & Textile Ministry. He had the responsibility to head three ministries of the government of Bangladesh. He served as the 25th Inspector General of Bangladesh police. He went into voluntary retirement from the IGP post after he had been made officer on special duty and within few days he took charge as the adviser of the caretaker government headed by Fakhruddin Ahmed during the state of emergency in Bangladesh which was declared on 11 January 2007.
Iqbal played a significant role in the UN mission at Mozambique and Angola. In 1993–1994, he was civilian police chief and acting commissioner in the Mozambique mission ONUMOZ. He won repute as police commissioner at the UN peacekeeping mission at Angola. He remained in that post during the whole period of UNAVEM III. He was the first Asian to serve as civilian police chief in any United Nations peacekeeping mission.
Director General of Rapid Action Battalion
Being the founding director general of the force Rapid Action Battalion,
Interim Government 2007–2009
Iqbal sworn-in as adviser which is equivalent to a cabinet minister of the non-party care-taker government on 17 January 2007 by the President of Bangladesh Dr. Iajuddin Ahmed. He was given the charge of two ministries, one being the Local Government and Rural Development and Co-operative and the other Labour and Employment Ministry. In the short span of time Iqbal established the Local Government Commission to ensure accountability and transparency, amended the acts of Upazila Parishad, Union Council, Municipal Council and City Corporations for women empowerment and ensuring Governance friendly persons' participation in Local Level election. During his tenure, government successfully held the Elections to the local government bodies including city corporations, municipalities, union council and specially long due elections to upazila parishads which had not been held for the last 17 years during the tenure of previous political governments. With the intention of decentralizing, and devolving the authority to local governments, he emphasised the election of honest, dedicated and capable representatives to ensure good governance, and build up a just, equitable and enlightened society. As the adviser of Labour and Employment ministry, he managed to set a standard of labour wages, benefits like service book, holidays, ID cards etc. and constant effort on implementation of minimum wages in all the factories throughout the country improved the Compliance situation up to mention able level in the garment sector of Bangladesh. This ultimately improved the labour rights situation in the country and concludes an era of labour violence in the sector. Ready Made Garments sector is the highest foreign currency earner for Bangladesh. He also led the way to finalise the new Labour Law in Bangladesh and successfully eradicated Child Labour from hazardous work The other ministry he headed was Ministry of Jute and Textiles. One of the major achievements of Iqbal's time is reopening a number of major jute mills of Bangladesh which were closed down to lessen losses of government.
Death
Iqbal died from a cardiac arrest, suffered while working out at his daughter's home in Dubai, United Arab Emirates on 15 January 2015. He was married to Dora Anwar. Together they had two daughters, Fahbin Anwar and Tasnim Anwar.
