Entrepreneurs and industrialists from Bhairahawa staged a sit-in on April 7, in front of the airport gate demanding to regularly operate Gautam Buddha International Airport. Anil Gyawali, chairperson of the organization informed that the sit-in program was organized with the participation of 44 different organizations in coordination with the industry trade organization Rupandehi. He said that this program is just a start and is symbolic.

The demonstrators alleged that they invested in hotels by measuring the probability of increased tourism but after the airport was not functioning, they were bearing the loss. Rajesh Malhotra, Deputy Secretary General of the Federation of Hoteliers of Nepal, said that Gautam Buddha Airport should be planned to bring in Buddhist pilgrims to Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Gautam Buddha. He said that the government should make a policy to create an environment for Buddhists from the world community to come to Lumbini once.