Cover image via Akila Jayawardana/NurPhoto/AFP & Ishara S Kodikara/AFP
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Sri Lanka has just announced an indefinite four-day work week, but it's not exactly a lifestyle upgrade
The move comes as the South Asian country — still recovering from its 2022 economic crisis — scrambles to conserve fuel, with global oil supplies disrupted by the ongoing war involving the US, Israel, and Iran.
Under the new plan, public sector workers will have every Wednesday off indefinitely, and the measure will also apply to schools and universities, reported AFP.
Foreign tourists sunbathe on a Mount Lavinia beach in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on 9 March. The conflict has left at least 10,000 tourists stranded in the country, prompting emergency visa extensions.
Image via Akila Jayawardena/NurPhoto/AFPIt's part of emergency steps to deal with a looming fuel crunch
Commissioner-General of Essential Services Prabath Chandrakeerthi said the government is also urging private companies to follow suit by treating Wednesdays as a non-working day.
"We are also asking the private sector to follow suit and declare every Wednesday a holiday from now on," he said after an emergency meeting chaired by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
The situation is tied to escalating tensions in the Middle East, where Iran has effectively shut down the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route that typically handles about 20% of global oil exports.
Sri Lanka, which imports all of its oil and relies on coal for electricity generation, is particularly vulnerable. The country sources refined petroleum from Singapore, Malaysia, and South Korea, while crude oil for its Iran-built refinery comes directly from the Middle East. Any prolonged shutdown of supply could significantly limit fuel availability, leaving the nation struggling to maintain essential services and everyday life.
"We must prepare for the worst, but hope for the best," Dissanayake told senior officials, according to a source at the meeting.
A cargo ship sets sail from the Colombo International Container Terminals (CICT) in Colombo on 17 March.
Image via Ishara S Kodikara/AFPAuthorities began rationing fuel on Sunday, limiting motorists to 15 litres of petrol or diesel per week
Public transport operators have been allocated up to 200 litres.
Government officials have warned that unless new shipments arrive on schedule, the country's limited reserves, currently enough for roughly six weeks, could run out quickly, forcing even more drastic measures.
Despite the reduced work week, key sectors, including hospitals, ports, and emergency services, will continue operating as normal.
The government has also suspended public events and is encouraging civil servants to work from home where possible to further cut fuel usage.
Motorists wait in a queue to refuel their vehicles at a filling station in Wellawatte on the outskirts of Colombo on 16 March.
Image via Ishara S Kodikara/AFP