Sri Lanka is trying to save fuel at a time when it is threatened with a possible depletion of supplies, while shipping traffic in the Middle East is hampered, and has announced that Wednesdays will be a holiday for government institutions, writes the BBC.
Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake told officials during an emergency meeting on the 16th of March to hope for the best but prepare for the worst. It is one of the latest measures taken by the Asian country since the United States and Israel began strikes on Iran on the last day of February. The hostilities have led to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a main route for oil exports from the Persian Gulf. Almost 90% of the oil that was exported through the Strait of Hormuz last year ended in Asia.
Various austerity measures have also been announced elsewhere in Asia. In Thailand, the government has urged citizens to wear T-shirts instead of suits to reduce the use of air conditioning, while in Myanmar, private vehicles are only allowed to be used on certain days, based on the numbers on their license plates.
Bangladeshi universities have started Ramadan holidays early and the country is experiencing planned power outages. In the Philippines, some government agencies have decided to have employees work from home at least one day a week and all non-essential travel has been banned. In Vietnam, residents have been strongly advised to stay home to save fuel, and
the government has encouraged people to use bicycles, carpool and public transport,
and not use private vehicles in situations where they can do without them.
Sri Lanka’s new four-day workweek will also apply to schools and universities, but will not affect essential services such as healthcare and immigration. Authorities have chosen Wednesday as the holiday instead of Friday to avoid a situation where government offices are closed for three days in a row. Motorists must register for a National Fuel Card, which will also determine how much fuel they can buy.
The government’s decision has caused discontent among Sri Lankans, who believe that the fuel quotas are too low. They provide for 15 liters of fuel for private cars and five for motorcycles. The fuel quotas were previously introduced in 2022, when the country was in a severe economic crisis.
Oil prices have risen significantly since the US and Israel attacked Iran, and are currently around 100 dollars per barrel.
Read also: Minister comments: Will Latvia need to get involved in the Strait of Hormuz?