Wednesdays declared holiday for govt employees, schools & unis; private sector urged to do same

The Government has decided to declare Wednesdays of every week as a holiday for government sector employees with effect from March 18, 2026, after taking into consideration the current fuel situation in Sri Lanka.

The announcement was made by the Commissioner General of Essential Services, who stated that the decision had been taken in view of the prevailing fuel constraints in the country.

However, he clarified that the holiday will not apply to sectors including Healthcare, Ports, Water Supply and Customs.

In addition to government employees, Wednesdays will also be declared a holiday for all government schools, universities, and courts, according to the Commissioner General of Essential Services.

The announcement further stated that private institutions are also requested to follow the same measures.

Moreover, all government events will be suspended until further notice in view of the prevailing fuel situation in the country, the Commissioner General of Essential Services said.

The Commissioner General further stated that, apart from Wednesdays, all heads of government institutions are empowered to call employees of their respective institutions to work on the other four working days of the week based on the necessity of their duties.

He also noted that the essential fuel requirements of the tourism, agriculture, health and plantation sectors will be assessed, and additional fuel quotas will be released accordingly.