- Sri Lanka adopts a four-day workweek, making Wednesdays public holidays to save fuel
- Essential services will operate normally despite the reduced workweek and school closures
- A National Fuel Pass limits fuel purchases; remote work and energy savings are encouraged
Sri Lanka has moved to a four-day workweek as part of emergency measures to conserve fuel reserves amid a deepening global energy crisis triggered by tensions around the Strait of Hormuz. According to the BBC, the Sri Lankan government has declared one additional day each week as a holiday for public institutions, effectively cutting the workweek to four days for many sectors. Starting March 18, Wednesdays are declared public holidays, reducing transportation fuel consumption.
"We must prepare for the worst, but hope for the best," President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said at an emergency meeting with senior officials on Monday.
The newly implemented four-day workweek will extend to educational institutions, including schools and universities. Essential services such as healthcare, ports, and emergency operations, however, will continue to function as usual.
Officials opted for Wednesday as the additional day off so that government offices would not be closed for three days in a row. Additionally, a National Fuel Pass system has been introduced, requiring motorists to register and allocating a limited amount of fuel for purchase.
The government is also encouraging remote work wherever possible and urging both public and private sector organisations to adopt energy-saving practices. "We are also asking the private sector to follow suit and declare every Wednesday a holiday from now on," Prabath Chandrakeerthi, commissioner general of essential services, told reporters.
Authorities in Colombo are keen to avoid a repeat of the severe economic crisis the country experienced in 2022, when fuel shortages led to long queues at petrol stations, power cuts, and widespread public unrest.
The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow but strategically vital passage, handles a significant portion of the world's oil shipments. Ongoing geopolitical tensions in the region have disrupted supply chains, pushing up global oil prices and creating uncertainty for import-dependent nations like Sri Lanka.
Similar measures by other Asian countries
Sri Lanka is not alone in taking such steps. Other countries in South and Southeast Asia have introduced similar measures, including fuel rationing, work-from-home policies, and reduced office hours, as they grapple with the impact of rising oil prices and supply disruptions.
- In Thailand, citizens are being encouraged to ditch formal attire for short-sleeved shirts to minimise air conditioning use.
- Myanmar has introduced alternate-day driving restrictions based on license plate numbers.
- Bangladesh has brought forward Ramadan holidays and implemented planned blackouts to conserve energy.
- The Philippines has introduced flexible work arrangements, including remote work, and banned non-essential public sector travel. The country is also offering financial assistance to vulnerable groups to help with rising fuel costs.
- Vietnam is promoting cycling, public transport, and reduced personal vehicle use.
