Sri Lanka has made every Wednesday a public holiday for government offices to help save fuel as the island nation prepares for potential shortages linked to the US–Israel conflict with Iran.

“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.

This move is the latest in a series of austerity measures adopted by Asian nations since the war disrupted the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route that previously transported millions of barrels of oil from the Gulf to the region.

Last year, nearly 90 per cent of the oil and gas passing through the strait was destined for Asia, the world’s largest oil-importing region.

Elsewhere in Asia, governments have implemented various austerity measures.

In Thailand, citizens are encouraged to trade suits for short-sleeved shirts to cut air-conditioning use, while in Myanmar, private vehicles are restricted to alternate days based on their license plate numbers.

Bangladesh has moved up university Ramadan holidays and rolled out scheduled blackouts nationwide to conserve energy.

In Vietnam, the government is urging citizens to stay home more to save fuel. It also encourages people to “ride bicycles, carpool, use public transportation, and limit unnecessary personal vehicle use.”

Sri Lanka’s new four-day week will include schools and universities, but essential state services—like health and immigration—will continue operating, officials say.

Authorities chose Wednesday rather than Friday as the extra day off to avoid three consecutive days of closures.

Additionally, motorists must now register for a National Fuel Pass, which limits the amount of fuel they can purchase.

Oil prices have jumped since the US and Israel began striking Iran late last month, now trading near $100 a barrel.