Sri Lanka has designated every Wednesday a public holiday to conserve fuel as the country confronts the risk of supply shortages following the outbreak of hostilities between the United States, Israel, and Iran, which has disrupted oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz, BBC reported.

The measure will take effect from March 18 2026 and will apply to government offices, schools, and universities, while essential services including health and immigration authorities continue operating normally.

Sri Lanka's Ministry of Public Administration said Wednesday was selected deliberately to avoid a three-day government shutdown that would have resulted from adding Friday as the additional rest day.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake convened an emergency meeting with public and private sector representatives before announcing the decision.

According to a report by EconomyNext authorities have simultaneously reinstated a fuel rationing system first introduced during Sri Lanka's 2022 foreign exchange crisis, allocating 15 litres per week for private cars and five litres for motorcycles via a QR-code-based National Fuel Pass.

The reactivated system has drawn criticism from motorists who consider the quotas insufficient, and an early technical gap meant new vehicle owners were initially excluded from the registry, triggering queues at fuel stations.

However the system database may not have been updated for newer registrations after 2022 sufficiently leading to some newer vehicles getting larger supplies than the accounted for older ones.

Brent crude is currently trading around $100 per barrel following strikes on Iranian oil infrastructure. Nearly 90% of oil and gas transiting the Strait of Hormuz last year was destined for Asian markets. Sri Lanka is not alone.

Thailand has similarly urged citizens to reduce air conditioning use, Bangladesh introduced planned power cuts and moved forward Ramadan holidays, the Philippines mandated partial work-from-home arrangements, Myanmar imposed alternate-day driving restrictions, and Vietnam encouraged reduced private vehicle use.

For Sri Lanka, still operating under an International Monetary Fund(IMF) programme following its 2022 sovereign default, a sustained oil price spike poses a direct threat to its fragile balance of payments recovery.