10 Memorable Moments from Ramadan 2026: Endless Rain, Ojol Crisis to War
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - This year’s Ramadan was not only coloured by worship activities and annual traditions. A number of economic events, social phenomena, and lifestyle trends also coloured the fasting month and became topics of public discussion.
Here are some of the most memorable aspects from this year’s Ramadan:
- Endless Rain Throughout Ramadan
This year’s Ramadan felt different due to the wet weather in many parts of Indonesia. Rain often fell in the afternoon to evening, coinciding with ngabuburit time until just before Tarawih prayers and even before Sahur. This condition disrupted outdoor activities, such as hunting for takjil or breaking the fast outside.
In several cities, the rain even triggered worse traffic jams than usual during rush hour. Ramadan bazaars, street vendors, and culinary business operators were also affected due to fluctuating visitor numbers compared to previous Ramadans.
- IHSG Plummets
This year’s Ramadan was also marked by volatility in the domestic financial markets. The Composite Stock Price Index (IHSG) faced sharp pressure and drew investor attention throughout the fasting month.
Ahead of the Eid holiday from 18-24 March 2026, the IHSG recorded its deepest correction in over a decade, dropping 4.49% in a week.
This sharp weakening was not solely due to seasonal factors like retail investors withdrawing funds ahead of the long holiday. The main pressure came from macroeconomic sentiment and heating global geopolitics throughout the month.
This weakening reflects pressures from global and domestic sentiment that made market players more cautious during the Ramadan period.
- Rupiah Slumps Near Rp17,000 per US$
In addition to the stock market, the rupiah exchange rate also drew attention during Ramadan. The Garuda currency faced pressure against the US dollar and approached levels that raised concerns among market players.
The rupiah once touched Rp16,990 and continued approaching the psychological level of Rp17,000 per US dollar in trading on Monday (16/3/2026). The rupiah finally closed at Rp16,975/US$ before the Eid holiday on Tuesday (17/3/2026).
Throughout this Ramadan, the rupiah weakened by 0.9%.
- Ojol Crisis
The phenomenon widely referred to as the ojol crisis also coloured this year’s Ramadan. In the last few days, many online transport users in Jakarta complained about the difficulty in finding drivers, both for motorbike taxis and online taxis, especially during rush hour and at night. These complaints went viral on social media, sparking the term “ojol crisis”.
In response, ride-hailing companies like Gojek and Grab stated that several factors affected driver availability during Ramadan. One of them was the change in demand patterns that surged at certain times, especially from 3:30 p.m. to its peak at 4:00-6:00 p.m. WIB. In addition, some driver partners began heading home for Eid, as well as rainy conditions causing traffic jams and flooding, thus making booking wait times longer.
- Eid Clothing War from Far in Advance
Another phenomenon that was widely discussed was the Eid clothing war that occurred even before Ramadan began. Many fashion brands had already launched Eid collections early, both through pre-orders and limited sales on online platforms.
This strategy forced consumers to act quickly to avoid missing out on targeted products. On social media, this phenomenon even became a trend in its own right, with many people sharing experiences of hunting for Eid clothes far in advance before Idul Fitri arrived.
- 6 Eid Clothing Trends: “Wife’s Gamis” to Gen Z Cheongsam
Eid fashion trends also became one of the hot topics during Ramadan 2026. Among mothers, the gamis model called “gamis bini orang” went viral on social media after being popularised by traders in Tanah Abang.
This term refers to a gamis model that looks elegant and mature, with loose cuts and soft colours like cream, sage, or pastel that give an impression of grace and neatness when worn on the Hari Raya.
Meanwhile, the Gen Z crowd popularised a different trend by wearing modern cheongsam as Eid outfits. This clothing inspired by traditional Chinese attire comes in a more casual and minimalist version.
This year’s Ramadan was also enlivened by numerous pop-up bazaars in major city shopping centres such as Jakarta, Bandung, Bekasi, and others, featuring various Eid clothing collections from local brands.
- Global Conflicts Still Looming Over Ramadan
Ramadan 2026 also took place amid rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, particularly the conflict between Iran and the United States and Israel.
On 28 February 2026, the United States and Israel launched massive airstrikes on various military and government targets in Iran, killing Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several other high-ranking officials.
Iran then retaliated by launching hundreds of missiles and drones at Israeli territory and US military bases in the Middle East region. This counterattack even impacted global trade routes such as the Strait of Hormuz and the world energy market.
The ongoing conflict during this Ramadan became one of the most spotlighted international issues throughout 2026.
- Surging Ticket Prices and “Ticket War” for Mudik
The 2026 Eid mudik was also marked by public complaints about the high cost of transport tickets, especially flights. The DPR even highlighted domestic flight ticket prices that were deemed too high ahead of the mudik season, with some routes reported to reach tens of millions of rupiah for a one-way trip.
On the other hand, the Ministry of Transportation opened various free mudik schemes through several modes of transport with limited quotas, including:
Bus: 2,308 free mudik tickets.
Train (Motis): 28,000 tickets.